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Also, this past weekend, I got the opportunity to check out the Fair Trade Gift Festival at the Harwood Art Center here in ABQ. It was awesome. Although relatively small in size, it was wide in the variety of items for sale.
The show was sponsored by Help=Hope and Children of The Americas. These organizations sponsor many events and programs to benefit shelters and kids worldwide.

There were unique and handmade items including: musical instruments, jewelery, baskets, ornaments, candles, and many other things from around 30 countries.

Best of all... I was able to purchase a couple fabulous holiday presents for friends and family... while helping out through these organizations to people all over the world.



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Yesterday, it was all about the Sandhill Cranes at the Open Space Visitor Center here on the westside of ABQ. As I posted yesterday, it was wonderful to be able to see all the gorgeous scenery that is the southwest ... and we had the extra bonus of being able to go to a killer art show while we were at it.


There were these incredible paintings by Cynthia Wister Welch... which I absolutely adore.


There were stunning silk paintings, quilts, scarves, and note cards by Judith Roderick...
(and also the quilt shown at the top of this post)


There were also demonstations on origami, tin art, and silk painting (shown above)... as well as a guided nature walk, and presentations of original art, photography, and even a local author (Mary Chloe Schoolcraft Saunders).


PLUS... all the gorgeous natural displays and artwork that is a staple of the Open Space Center.... and a special presentation of art pieces by the artists at the VSA North 4th Art Center; like this fabulous piece by Linda Plageman (below).


If you get the chance... I highly recommend a visit...


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Today... my daughter, a great friend, and I all went to the Open Space Visitor Center; located on the westside of ABQ off of Coors Blvd. It was incredible. The space was having a special event, entitled: the Return of the Sandhill Crane Celebration Weekend ... and it was all about the return of the Sandhill Cranes to New Mexico as part of their winter migration.

For tomorrow's post... I will showcase some of the featured artists at the art show there...
BUT for today... I just wanted to show some of the gorgeous scenery that is the Open Space area.



...the outlook landing area...


...and a couple of the cranes relaxing in the sunshine...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(photo by Elaine A. Russell)


Tomorrow, November 13th, is World Kindness Day.
In honor of it, fellow bloggers Anyes and Se'Lah are co-hosting
A Random Acts of Kindness Day out here in blogland.


I am a big fan of the whole "pay it forward" concept.
For the past 4 years, I have challenged myself to: do something nice for someone...
or give away an item...
for every day of the year ( and so far, I have met my goal ).
I do this by donating to local charity sources, giving spontaneous gifts to friends, listing on Freecycle,
doing kind acts when I can ... and even sneaking surprises onto people's doorsteps.

There are so many ways you can help someone else out... the ideas are endless.
The point is ... do it. Not only will you help someone else out...
but the feeling you get from it?
Fabulous.

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Just as a point for reference... pneumonia sucks. Seriously. I find that I haven't really gotten anything done in the past couple of weeks... save the bare necessities of life... feeding everyone... doing laundry... taking out the garbage...that sort of stuff.
It's frustrating to say the least.


So... I have decided I might as well enjoy it as much as I can...
(my photo for the day is of my feet up on a stool... watching CSI... life is good.)


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These past couple of weeks have been really rough... what with having some family drama, me being sick, BAJ being sick, and trying to catch up on all kinds of things. One of the things that really got put on the back burner this past year has been the yard. The plants all died in the front yard; partially from a blight that hit us... and partly from a broken drip system. The back yard has always been sort of a sand dune with a bunch of trees... but one of the things I have always wanted back there was a fire pit. And so... the past few days we had a couple friends come over who graciously helped us out with the irrigation system ( which now works )... with the yard (which is now free of everything dead )
... and with my dream of a fire pit ( which I now have ).

Life is good.



And tonight I made a beef roast (marinated in a rose chardonnay overnight... and accented with fresh sage whilst cooking), boiled golden potatoes and sweet potatoes, mushroom gravy, and a kabocha squash ( stuffed with Woodstock bread from Great Harvest Bread Co. -- made into toast, toasted macadamia nuts, slices of summer squash, purple onions, celery, and topped with fresh Romano cheese), and finished with organic "Night Sky" coffee from Satellite cafe ...
and a toasty fire in the fireplace.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell


( The last photo here is my photo for the day. It is of the first fire in the fireplace for this season.
It is basically straight out of the camera-- just a little color saturation---
... with a layer placed on top for a little added umph )

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Sunday was the annual Dia de Los Muertos parade here in Albuquerque.
I love everything about it.

""Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated by many in Mexico and by some Mexican Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2), and has been practiced for 2500-3000 years. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration when eating and partying are common. Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two are celebrated differently. ""
--- wikipedia


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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*photos by Elaine A. Russell


...cold, tired..... and well; actually exhausted beyond words. But I am leaving you today with some photos I took at Starbuck's today. I had to run a couple of errands... and I stopped in to get a small coffee to tide me over until dinner. The sunlight was streaming in the windows, and leaving these gorgeous shadows on the funky wallpaper there... and I just couldn't resist...

More photos and interesting (hopefully) repartee tomorrow...


And who knew?!
In the bathroom there... was this series of little photos printed on the paper towel dispenser
... explaining exactly how you should be washing your hands...
Good to know! I guess not everyone's momma made them learn this?!
(so I compiled them all together into a sort of collage... just for grins)

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... and my Art Gallery "Sneak Peek" for today is: the VSA North 4th Art Center
(peek #16 in my series of local art galleries and shows)


"North Fourth Art Center is a contemporary art center with a social mission. Our independent nonprofit name is VSA arts of New Mexico (VSA NM), affiliated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Our center is dedicated to full accessibility in the arts for people of all abilities, ages, cultures and income levels. Since 1981, we have focused on providing arts education and exhibition opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. "

The center encompasses programs through AmeriCorps, The VSA CenterArts, City CenterArts, and an explosive Outreach program. It has a gallery, ceramics studio, multiple classrooms, and a theater.

+++++++++++++++

On Friday, The VSA North 4th Art Center featured the opening reception
by The Barrett Foundation here in Albuquerque.


The place was jam packed with the most fabulous art... and it was such a treat to be able to walk around and see it all... Here are a few photos from my visit.




For more information; including current events and programs: LOOK HERE



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Sometimes I feel a little bipolar in the sense of loving life in two very different worlds. On one hand... I love going to PA... being surrounded by all the nature, trees, lush farmlands, and critters... the peace and quiet, the stunning beauty of a simple sunrise on the hills...

And yet... I also love being back in the city. The excitement and the buzz of city life. Cafes, bookstores, shops of every specialty... the whole urban landscape and the little nooks and crannies of art and urban decay.

I have determined that it is OK to live in one of these environments on a permanent basis... but I simply MUST be able to travel on occasion. I need to travel like I need to breathe... even if it's "just down the road..."



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Sometimes change can be totally seamless. It's rather amazing in a way. It's as if the very thing you are looking for presents itself... whether or not you realize at that moment that that... is the very thing you are indeed looking for. It's almost serendipitous.

Sometimes life can be a struggle... you push and push ...and try and try... and things just don't fit. And then there are times when everything is so effortless and easy. Today was one of those days. In fact, if I were to look back on the vast amount of change I have experienced this year... it actually makes sense... there is almost a pattern to the way things have played out. Yet... most all along the way... it seemed so much of a struggle.

Like the red-tailed hawk I mentioned in a previous post... it seems as if today the blinders came off, and I can almost see the "big picture".... along with all the little details. Incredible.


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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I'm not a big fan of abstract art usually... although some of it I really like. So today, just to try something different... I took some photos while we were eating dinner at Chili's ... of the lights in the bar... and made them into more of an abstract design in Picnik.com (which is the photo to the top of my post today). The bottom photo... is a purposely blurred shot of car taillights as we were driving home in the dark. Sometimes it's just fun and freeing to try something completely different.

And in other news... I think my sinus infection has progressed to pneumonia. While I still have tons of issues with my sinuses, alot has descended down into my lungs. Fortunately, I did see the doctor on Monday, and am already on antibiotics
(so I am not contagious).
I get this every year... and so it is not a "big deal"... just an annoyance. And... in a good way, it is forcing me to stay home a bit more than I normally would... so perhaps I will get some art projects done in between breathing treatments :)

And so... rest well my friends. Drink lots of fluids. Sleep in if you can. Make art. Be happy.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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On Sunday.... a friend, my daughter, and I all went down to Tome Gallery for their Day of the Dead Art Show.

Needless to say; it was fabulous.

It was not only a gorgeous drive there... with the roads weaving in and around beautiful cottonwood trees, lush farmlands, and fall splendor... but it was great company... and great conversation the whole way.

I always enjoy going to gallery shows... it is a fabulous way to see what other people are creating... and it amazes me how much talent is right here in our own backyards.

So... here is a sampling of what I saw...





*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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""Samhain ( /ˈsɑːwɪn/, /ˈsaʊ.ɪn/, or /ˈsaʊn/)... is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1.
It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" beginning in the 18th century.

Samhain marked the end of the harvest, the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". It was traditionally celebrated over the course of several days. It has some elements of a festival of the dead. The Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhain; because so many animals and plants were dying, it thus allowed the dead to reach back through the veil that separated them from the living. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. People and their livestock would often walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual, and the bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.

In Scotland the dead were impersonated by young men with masked, veiled or blackened faces, dressed in white. Samhnag — turnips which were hollowed-out and carved with faces to make lanterns — were also used to ward off harmful spirits.
The Gaelic festival became associated with the Catholic All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, and has hugely influenced the secular customs now connected with Halloween, a name first attested in the 16th century as a Scottish shortening of the fuller All-Hallows-Even.""
... from Wiki

~~~

Read more HERE

and HERE

and HERE

 *photography by Elaine A. Russell

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Yesterday was pretty awesome. My daughter and I went out and about... and it started with a surprise visit above our driveway from a Red-Tailed Hawk. Apparently, the species is known to "winter" here... although I don't recall seeing one before. This handsome fellow made sure that I saw him... taking large circles just above our house several times... which allowed me to try and get a photo. I no sooner got a couple quick ones... when he decided to take off... but it was an amazing experience.

According to some on-line sources, Red tailed hawks symbolize not only acute focus of one's life purpose (and also being able to see the "big picture")... but also a greater intensity and energy for life.

Afterwards, we went and enjoyed a fabulous meal at The Olympia Cafe... where we devoured such delightful mouthfuls such as: beef gyros with tzatziki sauce, Avgolemono soup, tabouli, hummus and pita bread, falafel, dolmathes, baked eggplant... and turkish coffee for an excellent finish!
Everything was soooo good.

From there... I got my "every Halloween" reading... this time from one of the fine ladies at Abitha's Herbary. It was truly excellent... and I feel so much better about several things now. Call me stupid... but I do believe that some people certainly have this type of gift... and I feel the lady I spoke to is amongst them.

From there... we had just enough time to stop in to Buffalo Exchange for some funky clothes shopping... and then went on home... where the hubby had enjoyed a restful afternoon reading and gaming on-line. Thank goodness for weekends :)

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Yesterday, we were able to spend a couple of hours with our granddaughter... and she is wonderful.

The "circle of life" has been so very close and obvious this year... and it is such a blessing to be able to see the other end of things... birth, life, the promise of things to come...


*all photos by Kristin M. Russell

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This has been a very trying couple of weeks... but... these things make us stronger, right?
I will expand on that sometime... but right now it is still fresh and somewhat painful
... and so I don't want to muddle it all with my emotions.

Tonight... we (BAJ, the daughter, and I) went out for dinner... and then we stopped at the most fabulous book shop EVER! ... right here in downtown ABQ. It was amazing... and I am delighted to have found it open and waiting for me to browse amongst the glorious stacks of books.


These last 3 photos were taken at Saggio's Restaurant here on Central Ave. We had a fabulous dinner (as always... the food is awesome!)... and I got to take a couple photos of the food (there is a shot of the canoli above) and the cacti that are right out front of the restaurant. It always amazes me that people will "graffiti" the cacti... but then... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised...



This one (above) became my photo for the day. I altered it slightly ...
changed some of the color a bit... added some flavor/grunge a little...

... and this one (below) was taken of those same cacti from inside the restaurant. It was getting quite dark outside, and the lights from inside the restaurant were being reflected in the window... making the cacti look like they were having their own little party going on right there...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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Real life is often much stranger than anything the imagination could come up with. So ... when things get a bit crazy... I try to find the lesson to be learned in all of it's oddness. Many times, there is one if I am patient enough to look for it.

These past few days have held several gold nuggets of life lessons for me...

From the dear friend who became acutely ill... but fortunately suffered no residual effects... to BAJ; who has fought with kidney stones all week... to another loved one who is suffering in an equally horrible way... it has definitely been a week of ups and downs with every one's health.

I suppose the obvious lesson is to appreciate good health for the wondrous and precious thing it is... but it is also more than that. To have the strength to deal with whatever comes up... to be able to rely on friends and family for support... to realize how fragile our bodies can be if we are not attentive enough to their needs.

Today marks a day of intense dissection of what we as a family are eating... how we are taking care of ourselves (or not)... and what we plan to do to make things better for our own peace of mind and improved health (mental, physical, & spiritual). There are things we can all do to help our own selves out:

*eat organic whenever possible... eat raw if you can. Avoid sugars, artificial anything, preservatives, excess salt.

*exercise daily for at least 15-20 minutes. (and remember that too much exercise is just as bad as too little)

*get yearly physicals, eye exams, etc. Even if you don't think you need to.

*take time for yourself every day. Even 30 minutes alone to reflect, meditate, pray... whatever you choose... it really makes a difference.

*try to resolve past conflicts as much as you are able to...

*then, let it go. Not everything can be fixed.

*love one another. Truly, deeply. Remember that we are all individuals, and do not like, need, or want the same things out of life.

*Pay it forward. I know... seems to be a trite phrase that is overused nowadays. But it really does make a difference. Not only will it help someone else out... but you get so much in return.

*savor the good times... and realize that the bad ones won't last forever.

*just breathe...


For today's photo of the day: I happened to be downtown late tonight finishing up a couple of errands... and took a couple of quick shots of some of the buildings downtown. The first photo on today's blog is a typical photo of downtown at night. Being the season of Halloween however... I wanted to play around with effects that would make photos look a bit more spooky. Hence, the result in the last photo... which is my photo for the day.

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Well... another milestone of sorts was reached today as I took my 300th photo for my 365 Photo a Day project ( here and here ). Who'da thunk I would have made it this far?!

In fact, I almost didn't make it today... which would have been the first time in 2yrs that I would have missed. I didn't realize I hadn't take a photo today... except for one lone shot that I took around 8:30pm. And so... I had only one shot to work with today. Ah well. Fortunately, I was happy with it ( and it is shown at the bottom below). While it is not technically perfect * it could certainly be sharper*... I am happy with the mood it evokes...


And... speaking of "mood shots"... I was looking back thru some of my photos today, and came across the other 2 photos on today's blogpost. I took them exactly a year ago today... and they still "speak" to me ... encouraging me to enjoy life... to enjoy where I'm at ... to be satisified with the way things are... while still looking forward to where they could go in the future.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell