Soul Humming

Finding inspiration...

 

with my sleepy friends.

 

 

 

Soon...

 

Yesterday I got on bloglines with the plan to read some blogs. I hadn't visited the first blog that I chose to look at in a while. Actually, I haven't visited many blogs, including my own, in a long time. When the blog opened the post was titled Happy New Year! I was more than 200 posts behind!

I am living a different sort of unblog-cluttered life these days. For the last year I've been waiting to have the desire to paint again. But I don't really have it. I know that the easiest way to get it is to put my butt in the chair and paint. Instead, I am distracted with these two dorks...

They have no manners whatsoever. One leaps up and eats food right off the table and the other is a secret agent sent from Dog Headquarters on a mission to exterminate or at least terrify every cat she can find.

And as there are two perfectly lovely cats living here, she must work diligently night and day and day and night barking and leaping and throwing herself into such a frenzy that her teeth chatter and shebarks so loud I think the roof will blow off the house. All this keeps a girl busy and out of her studio.

when i have time, i make simple pieces like these horn earrings

and these that have beautiful crucifix medals with sari ribbon

and these which are really colorful from where i sit.

but soon, soon, back to a schedule of painting and a store filled with jewelry and wooden fabulous creatures. soon!

 

Kai

We've changed her name a bit. It was Coyote but we've shortened it to Kai (which means dog, or the sea, or keeper of the keys, depending on which language you are speaking). She's been with us a week and, as you can see, has no problem making herself quite comfortable. ;0)

In the family of things...

Wild Geese 

by Mary Oliver

"You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees 

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body 

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain 
are moving across the landscapes, 
over the prairies and the deep trees, 

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, 

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, 
the world offers itself to your imagination, 
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place 

in the family of things."

Coyote

This is Coyote.

She is a smooth collie who was turned into Southland Collie Rescue by her owner when she could no longer care for her dogs.

She is around three years old.

And as of this afternoon,

she is...

living...

with us!

Dog Beach

First visit for both boys to Dog Beach.

A place for pups to play off leash.

 

Faelan can run like a banshee off-leash on the beach.

 

And I ran right after him, for a long while, then the leash came back out. An 8-month-old puppy can definitely outlast me in a running contest.

 

Finally tired.

Monday

All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within.

- Horace Freiss

A cloudy day...

a good hike

with so many birds,

 
  my leetle friend,

a big hill,

 

and a macro lens in hand

made my Monday morning perfect.

 

My profession is to always find God in nature. - Henry David Thoreau

 

Live Life

I Ask Percy How I Should Live My Life

Love, love, love, says Percy.

And hurry as fast as you can

 

along the shining beach, or the rubble, or the dust.

 

Then, go to sleep.
Give up your body heat, your beating heart.

Then, trust.

~ poem by Mary Oliver ~

~pictures by Kelly Snelling"

Are you out there? I'd love to hear from you!

Shake Your Paw

The 2010 PAWS for Charity Art Book is now available for ordering! It looks gorgeous! You can preview and order the book here. This year's book is BIG coming in at 8 x 10...and has more pages with a whopping 75 pages (almost double last year's book). And, there are many more artists showing their amazing offerings.

It is perfect for your pet loving friend, someone who wants to support cancer-fighting charities (all proceeds are donated directly to The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade) or YOU!

And, you can also order these sweet t-shirts here. Soon there will be greeting cards and in the fall a calendar for the new year. So there will be lots of ways to enjoy these fabulous furry friends all while supporting cancer charities. For which I say Thank You Very Much!!

Paws for Charity Participants 2010

Poppy as an alien seal

You probably know that I love animals. And, you may have gathered that I am nuts about photography. Also, you might have read that I am a cancer survivor. Well, did you know that I am participating in an art book project that combines all three of these? Isn't that so cool!

PAWS FOR CHARITY is the brainchild of Sara Harley. I learned about the project last year through a friend who was participating. Artist and photographers give Sara their cat or dog-themed work to be published in a beautiful art book. And all proceeds from the sale of the book goes to a cancer related charity. The 2010 monies will be going to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.

The book is currently on its way to the publisher. I will be sure to let you know when it is available for purchase. You can keep abreast of all news for the project by joining the PAWS for Charity fan page at Facebook here.

In the meantime, here's a list of links to all the artists with work in the book. Please visit them and be inspired and delighted.

2010 PAWS for Charity Participants

• Aliki Salmas
• Amanda Degard
• Amanda Pampena
• Andrea Savelo
• Angie Ketelhut
• Anita Peeples
• Anne Witton
• Art by Lori Rowe
• Becky Boggs
• Bev Hollis
• Bill Storoniak
• Blenda Tyvoll
• Cameron Graves Hayden
• Carole Akins
• Carolyn Evans
• Cookies and Water Photography
• Dan Felstead
• Debbie Virgin Shook
• Diane Schuller
• Fenne Kustermans
• Heather T Imagery
• Hong In Young
• J.T. Yost
• Jack Sutter
• Jan Swan
• Jeni Dawson
• Jennifer Gonzales
• Jessica Pruitt
• Jewel Mathieson
• Jill Beninato
• Kate Green
• Kecia Deveney
• Kelly Snelling
• Kerry Ould
• Kimberly Owen
• Kristin Bowen
• Linda O'Neill
• Lisa Graziotto
• Lynn Hanousek
• Marilyn Kellough
• Melanie Hughes
• Melissa Langer
• Melissa McDaniel
• Michele Erez
• Miriam Mas
• Nancy MacDonald
• Nancy Schutt
• Pawzitiveart
• Peter Tym
• Rachel Parker
• Rochele Cassidy
• Sara Harley
• Shannon McLaughlin
• Sheila Wedegis
• Shelagh Duffett
• Stephanie Balcom
• Stephanie Moon
• Sue Collins
• Susan Black
• Tamandra Michaels
• Tanya Brown
• Tara Anderson
• Teresa Berg
• Tianna Fisher
• Urban Dog Photog