Is your Christmas tree still up?

Mine is!

So I took advantage of another great sunset and took this shot from the outside looking in. I like the instant collage mix of things outside and inside. We'll probably get it down next week. That's right, NEXT week. This week I am gone two full days to an art class. Details later, enough right now to say that I am really looking forward to this. My friend Carolyn invited me to come along with her. Visit her new blog. She is struggling, as so many of us did at first, but be patient. She has outrageous photos and stories and paints wonderful retablos.
This is one last shot of Christmas 2008 before it's off to the attic. It was a warm and wonderful celebration with the people I love most in the world. Believe me, I count my blessings each time I realize that it is possible for us all to gather together.

It is hard to believe that I haven't blogged for so many weeks. My daughter and her little sister have both asked me, in the past few days, why I don't post more. This might be a, gulp, resolution for 2009-more blogging.

I have a lot of art in the works but I'll share from the journal that keeps me company when I can't sleep. This took a couple of long nights to finish and I have absolutely no idea what is is or what it means. Something deep and disturbing I'm sure.
When you can, go to my friend David's blog and you will see that he has most dearly posted one of my poems. It is a gift to have a friend who "gets you". Spend a minute and read the posts. It will give you some grist for the old mill.

The weather has been just my cup of tea the past week. Cool, cloudy and even a bit rainy. I like to tell the Ca natives that I grew up in Cleveland so too much sunshine makes me nervous. Here, I'd like to take you on a little ramble around the place.
For years I nagged the husband to put this stuff away. Then one day I realized this is a great composition for a photo. I love the shapes, colors and mix of textures. Or at least that's what I told myself to get myself to stop nagging!

And these guys and gals always give me goose bumps. They are so beautiful and fit so easy on the land. The rain has brought out a lot of nice tender greens which these kids make short work of.
Apparently, in the days of yore, previous owners of the ranch did a bit of logging. Husband tells me this is the remains of an old log splitter. Sure doesn't look like the log splitters we use today. Makes me feel better about getting older. This has gone from a noisy, smelly old machine to something that I think is beautiful. I still don't know when I started thinking that rust, which I used to work so hard to prevent and get rid of, was beautiful.

Old horseshoes show up all around here. More rust. I like the contrast of the reddish color on the blue of the concrete.
Here is Roy the Dog, Master of all he surveys, keeping close watch on his ranch. He is a handsome and loyal dog.
And this is his "big" sister Tessa. She is an aging Cocker mix who know how to use those big browns.
Geraniums grow like weeds around here. In Ohio I would have to dig mine up each fall and try to protect them over the winter and put them back out in Spring. They survive any thing that comes at them out here. I love them.
And here is proof that it rains in Southern California. I know that those of you who live in Washington are impressed.
This is where I'll leave you. Pretty much where I can be found most evenings, which could explain the dearth of blogging.

Warm comfort to you all.