79/80:365:2011

((photo by Elaine A. Russell))

...this weekend flew by waaaaay too quickly. My sleep schedule (once again) is thoroughly messed up... and I find myself sleeping at very odd times... and for short periods. I fear that it will be this way for the rest of my life... and yet... there are blessings to it. I find that when I am awake... I tend to be more aware of the time I have... and what I can do with it. I am actually squeezing more into my time... because it is fleeting... so to speak. And I think that is a good thing over-all.

In other news... my mother seems to be doing better (health-wise) and is planning a small trip to DC with a group of friends. I think it's awesome. Hopefully-- she will be there in time for the blooming of the cherry blossoms.

BAJ's work seems to be a little more steady at the moment... although we have no idea where it will all lead. At least... for now... he still has a job. And for that... we are grateful.

The daughter seems to be doing much better with her OCD... though there are definite set-backs at times. We are working on them (as with anything I suppose) ... on a daily basis... and just taking it one day at a time.

And the son is still working on his divorce. Not sure why things are being held up... but there ya go. In the end... all that matters is that everyone involved is happier, healthier... and that little Sophia gets to spend time with all of her family. At least -- that is my wish.

And ... I have been trying to work on some art. I have had an idea running around in my head for a new line of jewelry... and I am anxious to get working on it. Actually--- I have tons of new ideas for jewelry... that is the thing. I am constantly thinking of jewelry ideas... or photography ideas... they swarm my head all the time... bubbling up... taking over.... filling the void...

...time to get crackin'...

About the photo: I took this around 3am... at a time when I was awake for no particular reason... and so was the daughter... and so we decided to make some tea. Inspired by the light of the stove in an otherwise dark room... I took this photo. The only thing I did... was saturate the color ever so slightly on the burner flames. Everything else is SOOC.

78:365:2011

(photo by Elaine A. Russell)

... well--- BAJ got home safe and sound from his trip...

... and there are now LOTS of envelopes winging their way to Australia... ... and I am sick.

More this weekend ... I hope this post finds you all healthy and happy.

77:365:2011

Today it was all sunshine and wonderfulness here in ABQ... I was able to get some extra rest (which was sorely needed)... run a few errands... have a fabulous time out and about with the daughter... and got some truly excellent organic produce at Trader Joe's. As a BONUS!.... I discovered that one of my photos was selected as the Photo for the Week in the ALIBI newspaper here... and I was able to pick up a copy fresh from the newstands. AND... as a really cool BONUS!!!.... I was approached by a fair trade eco-friendly type shop in Australia... and they will soon be featuring my original recycled paper/book page envelopes as a regular item.

How cool is that?!
*photos by Elaine A. Russell

76:365:2011

well--- the hubby is out of town (again) for work... which is interesting as he may be losing his job in the next couple of weeks (due to funding).

It's been a real carnival ride all month long... wondering where things are headed ... and I am not sure where it is all going. I am just going to have to trust that everything will be OK.

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

75:365:2011

Sometimes you just have to "hang tough."

When my daughter and I were wandering about Nob Hill the other night... we saw this fabulous statue in the window of Hey Jhonny (a great store). They always have really interesting displays there... and I love to photograph them. This particular statue is of a warrior... I'm guessing it's African in style... if not origin.

Either way... it spoke of hanging tough... shielding yourself... perhaps even putting your armour on...

Ironically... I have also been designing a new set of meditation beads with a small sterling silver charm of an armadillo. As a totem animal.... armadillos are there to help protect you... shield you... and teach you how to say NO to things... see more here.

And how appropriate all this is...

with the onslaught of allergy season descending upon us here in ABQ...

 

*photo by Elaine A. Russell

74:365:2011

*photo by Elaine A. Russell

So-- last night was filled with wandering about Nob Hill..... having an excellent late supper at Flying Star... and driving around Route66 ... which was hopping!

oh--- and random bits of art were left in various places :)

72/73:365:2011

Well... this was the weekend of the "Full Super Moon"... when the moon is the closest to the earth... and will appear the largest and brightest... in fact... the biggest since 1993. It was also the Vernal Equinox... a time for spring!
This is a major thing for me... as I love to watch the moon. So... I spent most of the weekend... up and about... celebrating... cooking... making art... making jewelry... and taking LOTS of photos. It is a time for cleansing... and so I took this opportunity to do some cleaning and airing out of the house... smudging and such... rejuvenation.... and the starting of some fresh projects... (see more HERE)

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

(the top photo was taken at 3am; Sunday morning... from my backyard. The bottom shot was taken Saturday evening... just at moonrise. My daughter and I went over to St.Pius school... and stood on the cliffs just west of the Rio Grande... to watch the moon come up over the Sandia Mountains. We can see most of the whole city from there... )

71:365:2011

Tomorrow evening is the "super FuLL moon"

... when the moon will be the closest to earth (for this year)

--- just 221,565 miles away.

This full moon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual.

Time to go enjoy!!!

-->photo by Elaine A. Russell..... I took this photo at 6am-- from my backyard

... it was just glorious...

70:365:2011

Things I love:

cool nights
warm days
the smell of spring
birds chirping ( and not too early in the am )
bunnies
Frank Sinatra's "That's Life"
the movie "Amelie"
english toffee
rain


photo by Elaine A. Russell

69:365:2011

Today... I am grateful for...

fresh produce from Los Poblanos (courtesy of a fellow Freecycler)

trees budding

flowers blooming

blue skies and fluffy clouds

rosemary herb bread

bangers and mash

Darjeeling tea in big cups

soft quilts

warm puppies

random fiberglass dinosaurs

roses in my living room

Leon Russell songs

CSI repeats

leaving the doors open

not wearing a watch...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

68:365:2011

Another gorgeous day in New Mexico... and did you see that moon?!

I am feeling very grateful today... for all my friends... my family... for being here... being now.

*photo by Elaine A. Russell

65, 66, 67:365:2011

Over the weekend... my daughter and I went down to Tingley Beach (a park, some ponds, and some bike trails) and down to the Bosque. It is a beautiful area ... right near the river... and we were lucky enough to find that it wasn't horribly crowded, and the light was great.

It's been odd not having my laptop. I find that I have to pretty much plan ahead what I am going to do, what I am going to say... and sort of get in and get on with it when I get the chance to get on-line ... which is not at all my style. It is frustrating to say the least.

On the plus side... because I am not on-line anywhere near as much as I used to be... I have been working on some other projects. I have been doing alot of cooking... and some sewing... and some crafting.... and even worked on some jewelry ideas that have been rattling around in my brain :)

With any luck--- I will be posting a bunch of stuff in my Etsy store this week... so feel free to check it out :)

In the meantime... much love to you all.... and I hope you like the photos...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

64:365:2011

be here... be now...

Hear: bells ringing, birds singing... traffic making it's afternoon hum...
Taste: fresh fruit, toast, hummus and coffee...
Smell: spring is coming... and the air is thick with the smells of fresh dirt...
Feel: comfy quilts, soft pillows... a puppy at my side as I wake up...
See: blue skies... prickly cacti... images in the mirrored tile on a corporate building...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

63:365:2011

As my daughter so astutely pointed out... sometimes it is just as important to NOT do something... as it is to DO something.
Case in point...

The other day I awoke from a dream where I had gone to a local thrift store... and wanted to buy a necklace... but was on the wrong day to receive a discount. However... the lady there gave me the discount... and said it was because I was meant to have the necklace. I woke... went to a thrift store... and that exact thing happened. I followed my intuition... and the "message" in the dream... and I now have a lovely piece of jewelry to take apart and use the stones in.

Today I... just as strongly... felt that I should just stay home and take it easy. Often-times when this happens... I end up feeling guilty about "doing nothing"... and end up working hard at something that for whatever reason... doesn't pan out.

So... today... after encouragement from my daughter... we did NOTHING. We enjoyed the sunshine.... we did some cooking.... we ate well... we watched some tv.

Nothing exciting... but sometimes it IS the right thing to do.


*photo by Elaine A. Russell

62:365:2011

So... in the completely weird category...

Last night my mom called; and told me she was having chest pain. First thought... why did you call me? You should be calling 911... but I digress.

I grabbed my other phone... and called 911. Little did I know... that if you dial 911... it goes to your local emergency response center *yes*.... but there is apparently no way for them to connect to other 911 centers across the country. I was informed to call the police in my mother's town. Which is what I then did. Unfortunately... it is an extremely small town ... usually with only one officer on duty at at a time... and believe it or not.... I got an answering machine for the police barracks. Yah. So now what?

I called the operator at the local hospital in my mother's town... and asked her to call 911 and send an ambulance to my mom's house. Which ... she very kindly... and quickly... did.

Next problem... my mom was in bed... unable to move in pain... and the house was locked up. So I tried to call my niece to go and release the code on my mom's garage doors... but she was out.

So... I tried to find the phone number to my mom's immediate neighbor ... but she has an unlisted number. So... I called a friend of mine that lives down the street from my mom... and she went up and opened the garage with the code... and checked on my mom... staying with her until the ambulance had her loaded and en-route to the hospital.

The good news is... I got this all done in super fast time... which is essential when someone is having chest pain. The really good news.... mom is fine.

WOW.

So--- if you need to call an ambulance for someone who lives 1900 miles away... it can be done :)

*photo by Elaine A. Russell

61:365:2011

well... after several days of really harsh winds... and clouds that seemed to be threatening snow...
 today was warm, mild and sunny.

It seemed like a good day to be out and about... and so I took the opportunity to run a couple of errands.

Along the way, I stopped and took a couple photos... which reminded me that spring... indeed... is just around the corner...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

60:365:2011

winds... blowing strongly
bending limbs in the distance
...I should sweep my porch...

photo and Haiku by Elaine A. Russell

59:365:2011

Someone once told me that I was good at making "something out of nothing." I definitely took it as a good thing... as it was said in the context of me being creative and resourceful. It was said way back when I was working as a cook/cleaning lady/ organizer during my college years... and was a compliment about a dinner I had made when the owner thought the fridge was too empty to produce anything for a meal. I try to apply that to everything though.

My grandmother was a bit of a hoarder... but she was so good at so many different craft mediums... I can understand her thinking everything could be used at some point for something. While I am not a hoarder... I do tend to hang on to things that I think I can tweak a little and make into something new and interesting.

These past few days I have been working on some design ideas to apply to some old ties. Some of them were my dad's... some I have just picked up at thrift stores and such over the years. I have been cleaning them... repairing them *as needed*... and embellishing them.
Something old.... made into something... new and creative :)

*photos and needlework by Elaine A. Russell

57/58:365:2011

Yesterday was alot of fun.


Some friends and I met up; and had a "girl's day out." We went to the St. James Tearoom... and tried a luxurious and delicious selection of teas and treats.
Then we wandered about a couple galleries that were having showings...
and then we went to the History Museum to see the "First Friday Fractals" show. (WOW!!! It was really cool)...

We ended the evening with some more tea and treats at Flying Star... one of my fav restaurants here in ABQ.


~~~~~~

And today... I have alternated between cooking... cleaning... and taking photos of items for my Etsy store (and trying to list some stuff).
It's been a busy couple of days... but it has also been very rewarding.

With so much going on... on a personal level... with family and such... it was great to just go out with friends and relax. Thanks guys :)


*photo by Elaine A. Russell (and taken in Tuscon, AZ)

56:365:2011

(photo by Elaine A. Russell)

It's been hard to not have use of my computer... and to have to use someone else's. I never really realized how very much I use mine... until it died. Turns out... BAJ had ordered new parts to fix my laptop... and the order somehow got canceled... so he has to re-order the stuff... so... more time.

My mom seems to be doing a little bit better...but I worry for her.

My son has been having a rough time... and I think he and his wife are deciding to divorce. It is a hard thing... especially where little Sophia is involved... but I am hoping it will work out the best for everyone.

And my daughter is doing ok... which is a very good thing.

And then there is the whole issue of BAJ's job... which seems to be more confusing each and every day... and I am not sure where it is all going...

But... such is life. Things seem to have (temporarily-- I hope)... snow-balled... but I am trying to remain positive about it all...

And in the meantime... I finally got all my photos uploaded to FlickR ... for my 365 Photo-A-Day project. You can see the updated folder ... HERE