A GOOD OMEN

Today was a stunning day, perfect for a little walk.

Just enough coolness for a light jacket

and enough sunshine to lighten one's spirit.

I hoped to find a heart on this little excursion......and indeed I did
(insert happy dance)

Not one, but two!!

This one was sitting right in front of some barrel cactus on my walk up to the front door!!

I have no idea how it got there
(but I will question Mr. J. as I am pretty sure Destructo Cat
did not leave it there for me)

I am looking at these two gifts as a good sign.

Hearts = Love and that is what I wish for
each and every one of you this coming year.

The Bliss of Love.

For and from those that surround your life;

and an appreciation and love

for the preciousness of YOU.

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY DEAR FRIENDS

ARE YOU SEEING DOUBLE?

And I bet you have not even opened that bottle of bubbly yet!!

Well, bloggie friends, you ARE seeing double.....

because there are two of the fabulous books here in the nest.

NOT because I received one or both for Christmas...

NOPE...

But because my brain took a vacation evidently when I was in Barnes and Noble,

and, sans brain..
I bought my second copy.


Yes...it's true.

As I sorted through my stack (o.k., my stack(S) of books and magazines
I came across my first copy.

And I will confess that for a moment it did
not
register with the brain that had returned from vacation

that this was not

the most recent purchase.

It took about five minutes, truth be told,
to realize what I
had done.

Well, this IS a wonderful book.

Those of you that have it I am sure agree.

Chock full of luscious 'eye candy' But do I need two???

So here is my proposition:

They are both in pristine shape.

I paid $24.95 plus tax.

TWICE.

Since I suffered from Vacation Brain,

I am offering one of these books for a greatly
reduced price of $17. That is $15 with a guess of $2.00 to ship.

OR

If one of you came down with the same malady and bought two Beyond Paper Dolls (a book I have wanted since it came out) or are simply ready to let go of it and wish to trade, let me know.


Don't leave a comment, rather, email me at faerieluna at cox.net


On my list of things to possibly improve upon in 2008
(I say possibly as I don't want to start the new year with too much pressure)

• KEEP A LIST OF ALL BOOKS IN THE NEST

• REFER TO LIST WHEN FEELING THE NEED TO MAKE A NEW PURCHASE

UPDATE: I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY TRADE!!!! YIPPEE
~~~~~~~

Lolli came back today

She wanted a necklace and a bit more shading

and we discussed the sTrAnGe LOLLIPOP FLOWERS......again.

She's coming along

New wings, embellished dress,

now the start of a collage.

I have a fab plan of using this on the front of a small cupboard.

Last night's bedtime drawing.
Yes...I draw in bed :)



Mouth......not crazy about, but will not rip off this time

Her eyes are rather 'cat-like' don't you think?

I love drawing eyes.

I really ONLY like her eyes.

But this is a learning process

Maybe in a few months I will wonder
what I was thinking when I drew these faces.

Woohoooo........feeling a bit more normal tonight


Thank you for your kind notes, my friends.

I started this faerie after ripping off the mouth of the previous little fae.

She has a sweetness about her and I have a great plan for her I think.

The dress will be altered with something a bit more interesting..this is just the base color.

Totally watercolor this time after the original pencil sketch.

Faerie with ankle biting kitty on canvas still sits and waits for my inspiration

I feel like I'm fighting something.

Just on the edge of some type of SICK.

So, I'm in bed early tonight.......with my sketchbook...and another faerie.
and obviously my laptop and camera. :) Neither are ever too far away here in the nest.

EXCEPT, I draw and color a mouth that I cannot stand.

RRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

That's the solution for me tonight.

Just rip it off...problem fixed.

TINY PIECE

On Christmas Eve afternoon, I felt like doing a little watercolor background.

Out came some pieces of Cold Press 140lb. watercolor paper and my watercolor pencils...
and, of course, water.

A little magical land appeared...

...which led to a roughed out magical being...

....carrying a heart.


I still need to paint in the face and her dress, etc., which I will show you when she is done

Its quite fun to go from previous large faerie.....to this wee little one and I suspect I do prefer watercolors...especially for background.

So ethereal, really.

When I grow up I will most certainly be a watercolor artist.

and a musician

and a great cook

and a world traveler

and a writer of books

and

I have the week at home, away from "The Desk"

Those close to me know that it is less than ideal there. The stress level is, unfortunately, high. As in all things, there are the pros and cons, and I usually try to focus on the pros. It seems the positive road to take.

I knew I would spend some of this week in quiet contemplation of the future of this job and what I might look to for a replacement.

My Daily OM arrived in timely fashion and I share it with you. Perhaps it will offer a morsel of truth or insight in your life as well.


December 26, 2007
Purposeful Fulfillment
Scorpio Daily Horoscope

You may find yourself feeling unsettled and reflective as you question your belief system today. You might experience feelings of dissatisfaction about the path you�ve chosen in life or feel burdened by the belief that there is only one right path for you and that you will need to choose wisely. If you instead affirm that all paths hold potential fulfillment and you need only to listen to your heart, you can find a path that resonates most deeply within you today. One good way to start the process of fulfillment is to focus on what you have to offer the world. You can make a list of the skills, knowledge, and experience you have to offer and find a way to share them with others.

Finding meaningful ways to share the best parts of ourselves with the world strengthens our belief in a valuable and worthwhile life purpose. Even if we aren�t consciously aware of a higher purpose for our lives, we can still choose to make every moment meaningful and fulfilling. By exploring the traits, characteristics, and talents that make us unique and finding a way to share them with others, we automatically bring a greater sense of purpose to our lives. Whether we believe in the concept of free will or destiny, we can simply allow our spiritual wisdom to guide us down pathways that are fulfilling and joyful. By releasing your uncertainty and allowing your heart to lead you down fulfilling paths today, you will create a new sense of purpose in every activity you enjoy.

A SISTER'S CHRISTMAS

IMAGE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
CATHERINE MOORE STAMPS

(Beauty at sister's house)

Jolaine and I had our annual 'Sister's Christmas' Friday.

Her home is 45 minutes Northwest of mine.

Not too far when you consider
it was 2500 miles further East when I first moved here to Arizona in 1998.

Jolaine and my nephew followed in less than two years,

and we were able to resume the
Sister's Christmas
minus our youngest sister, Jenny.

We would call Jenny back in Connecticut, but that only reinforced the missing for all of us..a combination of her physical absence
and the knowing of her disturbingly, difficult life.

Jolaine decorates her home beautifully and when I tell her this she laughs..

and tells me she learned from me.
(insert tiny chuckle from me...because..)

Truth is, she was born with the ability and I have loooong sense put decorating on the back burner.

I live a very bohemian life these last several year.
But I am touched my little sister believes I have the ability.

That's the thing when you are the oldest sister.
Everything you do seems wonderful to the little ones..

I am a fortunate soul to have had that honor all these years.

Jolaine's tree every year is GORGEOUS!!... and always dons the special ornaments collected and given
over the years.

(one of two resident cats - Siggy)

We have shared many a Christmas together
(and I have stories to tell)

When I began to collect Margret Furlong Angels many, many (holy moly MANY!) years ago,
I believe it was my gift to Jolaine that, then, began her obsession as well.

We gave them to each other every year, always the new editions... often filling in with ones we had missed years past.
( we each kept a list and referred to it yearly)

Our sister, Jenny, did not share our love the the angels, calling them 'Dough Balls'........yup, that's what she called them
with that unique giggle of hers...

but she loved giving them to Jolaine and I, regardless,
no doubt with monies she somehow accumulated and hid
through the year away from angry, cruel eyes.

Each Sister's Christmas was sure to include several exchanged 'Dough Balls', and Jolaine and I would give Jenny a Precious Moments ornament or something similar that she loved.

Laughter was always part of the mix
as she teased us about the obsession with these angels.

This year there are no 'Dough Balls' to exchange.

And there is no little sister to tease us about them.

But I believe she was with us as we exchanged special gifts this year.


My gift to Jolaine was this very special print from Kelly Rae.

~One entitled: Heart by Heart~


(along with an original piece of mine ~ LOVE ~ that was my Christmas postcard this year)

When I first saw it on her blog my heart skipped a beat and I knew I had to purchase it.

It looked to be three sisters and the little one had the butterfly that

Jenny identified with.

The beautiful symbol that will forever remind me/us of her.

Darling Kelly Rae gifted ME with a print that I will soon hang here in my nest.............

and Jolaine, who cried when she opened HER piece, had me help her hang it before I left.

I told Jolaine the story as she opened it.

I told her about Kelly Rae and her art, about her beautiful soul
and her incredible talent
.......about the print, itself.......and that I had renamed it for us.

I call it:

ONCE THERE WERE THREE

Merry Christmas

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 23
5:30 P.M.


HEADING OUT TO DINNER

MOON RISING

TRASH CANS LINED UP

ALL IS CALM
ALL IS BRIGHT

Less than 24 hours until the favorite of all nights.

How I love Christmas Eve.

It's magical!!

Back home and added a little more color to newest faerie

Roughed out a new faerie last night

She's been looking at me all day.

She'd prefer to be a redhead, evidently.
Not a problem if I can find the right shade.


I also got the fae and her ankle biting kitten on the canvas


Text and something more is needed
all in due time it will reveal itself

WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON

Yes, I am still drawing like a possessed and crazy woman.

I've not shared them only because time, or lack of it has prevented me

since that place I go Monday through Friday has been especially trying.

(Anyone close by looking for an admin.-office manager-event planner-placater-information researcher-transcriptionist (no, forget that, I am sick of typing "blah, blah, blah")-librarian-mail sorter-scribble interpretor-attitude adjuster?

And, of course, there is the small thing of

C H R I S T MA S.


Last weekend I painted up a canvas - 8x10.
layered first with some art papers.

(**note to self, use large pieces unless you really like lines of demarcation)

several paints brayered over. Mostly Golden liquid.

Love the gold.

then I sketched two images with charcoal pencil.
gessoed the faces and necks.

Hated it!!!

painted over it with more of the same colors.

This is a bright shot of it where you can see the glimmer of the gold

this darker shot shows the colors a bit better without the bounce of light.

Next is the faerie drawn a few nights ago with twiggy crown and rascally cat at her feet doing that thing that cats do

sideways arching, brushing up against your legs.

You cannot see kitty's face... as she is turning her head
......towards the little ankle

which will soon be in her mouth!!!

hmmmmm, some resemblance to 'Destructo Cat'

Notice the tiny grimace and the ever so slight bend to her shoulder
as she starts to prepare for the inevitable...

....sharp
...little kitty teeth


I cut her out and placed her here on a black fabric to take a shot

A bit closer but slightly blurry.

cheapo digital, but glad to have it.

later I will begin gel medium adhere her to the canvas.

the rest will be magic

and I promise I will show you the finished product.

Even as I type this I am 'antsy' to snuggle in my bed tonight to start the next drawing.

sigh.

I don't seem to be even seeking a cure.

IT SEEMS THAT TYPEPAD AND BLOGGER DO NOT PLAY WELL TOGETHER!!

Does anyone else experience the same thing?

Clearly I have Blogger.

I've been pretty happy with it, but you don't miss
what you don't know you don't have, right?

Here's the thing that has just tweaked my agitation button.

I can head to a blogger.com site. No problem.

Head to a typepad.com site, it takes F O R E V E R to load.
(Yes, I have a fast computer and connection)

And in just about every typepad blog, if I leave a comment,

I CANNOT GET OUT WITHOUT EITHER CREATING
MULTIPLE ENTRIES OF THE SAME COMMENT

(IMAGINE IF YOU WILL, A FRUSTRATED CHILD
LOCKED IN A ROOM
POUNDING AND KICKING THE DOOR
TO GET OUT....AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN NAUGHTY..
SHE JUST WANTS TO GO TO THE OTHER ROOM)

I discovered this glitch once when I found five of the same comment (mine)
listed on my friend Judy's typepad blog.

I felt ......ummmmm...mentally challenged

and then remembered back to when
I had left the comment and could not get out
now matter how many times (five apparently) I pushed the
'back' arrow.



The only way out is to

CLOSE OUT!!!

Of course, I DON'T REALIZE I am in that dilemma until I find myself
stuck in the comment section and not able to return to my blog
with the back arrow.

Now I find myself having to keep my typepad friends as the very last to visit
before I close down.......or, worse, NOT visit at all.

I hate this.

Any of you have this problem?

Now mind you, I visit everyone FROM my blog.
I enter Faerieluna first,
then hit my blogroll.

SOMEONE JUST ISN'T SHARING THE SANDBOX VERY WELL!!!

~~~

Last night and this morning's relaxation


I call her Lolli....... I am so laughing. She seems to have landed in

LOlliPoPlAnD!!

WHOLY MOLY!!


That look on her face perplexed. Maybe, confused. She was sure she clicked her heels the correct number of times But this sure isn't HOME!!!

I used my 10X7 Watson-Guptill sketchbook.

I love the totally flip open binding and the smooth pages.

I think I could cut and collage if I wanted without show-through.

Maybe I would need to give a thin coat of gel medium first on the back side and let it dry.

Calling for advice from my wonderful blog friend artists that might be familiar with the paper in this book.

A lot of my paints are Golden, some are the cheapO acrylics from Michaels, that I end up mixing with Goldens in some fashion.

This gal is color pencil only.

Hard to bring paint into my bed for these 10 min sessions bookending my siesta...

but I will admit

I have not tried it.

PETRA,
(NIGHTGIRL)
IS ALL SET FOR CHRISTMAS

Petra and I are loving pink today.

When I mentioned I would love a white tree
(no tree this year due to DESTRUCTO CAT)
she got pretty excited and brought me a little green bottle brush tree
reminding me of a post on a blog about bleaching the green out of it.

Why not?!

We did.

It worked!!!

Petra donned an overskirt of pink tulle with sparkle
and a Boho wrap for her hair,
then posed for the

Holiday Photo

HAPPY TEN DAYS BEFORE CHIRSTMAS!!!
LOVE, PETRA
XOXO

THE SAFETY IN AVOIDANCE
(what my heart has convinced my head)

I've not looked back at previous pages in a while. Avoiding what could possibly
hurt my heart as it reminds me of dark days and nights. There is a false sense of safety in avoidance. A skill I have quite perfected over the years.

This morning was different and without much contemplation I turned back the pages, went back in time. It's amazing that the brain can so quickly manifest the emotion in a split second once the eyes view the art and the words splashed down with the tears........a watercolor of sadness and anger.........and immeasurable grief.



The words of Linda Ronstadt's song ~ something deep inside of me is shattered......like the sound of broken glass.

I share a page from the past
and a little envelope made from a black and white copy of one of my art pieces
(The now familiar Luna Fae)



.....words torn from a page of text.
Inside, photos of my sister and her children,
alongside the obituary from our home town paper.......
all gathered and placed in my journal

as I sat quietly, painfully grieving, against the window of the plane carrying me back to Arizona.

Speaking silently to my Mother (who would have celebrated her birthday that very day I was in the air) about her youngest child, with her and my little brother now.

Today I add a letter my sister wrote me several years ago.

I save all my letters.

They carry the spirit of the person writing them.

In this case, a little sister
who loved her oldest sister unconditionally.

If I can leave you with one thought
Take a moment and hand write a letter to someone
you care about or someone you've been thinking of.

It is a gift that is worth more than any
commercial greeting card.

THE ROOFERS ARE BACK

MORGAN IS HIDING

THE SKETCHING CONTINUES ONCE I PUT AWAY ALL THOUGHTS OF
WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING

For a moment she remembers another time in this dress
a slow dance wrapped in strong, confident arms
and the heavy scent of orange blossoms

~~~



ANGEL BOOK GOES TO.......................................

~~~ Joan Ellis ~~~


Thank you all for your visits and notes.

I appreciate each and every one of you.

Joan, please leave your e-mail addy so we can communicate...and then I can
mail the book off to you.

PROGRESS

The wonderful thing about looking at your work on the computer
screen is that your eyes see differently.

I can 'see' some places I need to change a bit
and where I have to add a thing or two.
This is a great tool to help critique.

Small baby steps. A little color here and there, mountains, lake and palms trees in the background. With my limited collection of colored pencils, some watercolor and some Prisma.....I'm doing o.k.
and still loving her. There is a familiarity with her. I feel I know her or WILL know
her someday.

Had I put her on canvas......larger, she would eventually live
above the fireplace.

Maybe the next one.

Tonight I will announce the winning name drawn for the Angel book and also show the faerie
I received in the partner swap I was in. My last 'group exchange' of the year.

In the meantime, I wait for the roofer.

The sun returned three days ago and it was such a relief to have to grab my sunglasses again.

A perfect day for THE ROOFER.

A perfect day to WAIT for the roofer.

A perfect day.

OBSESSED

That is really the best description of this manic sketching phase I am in.
This rather exotic face began last night before sleep.
6:30 a.m. the alarm goes off and before I even click the coffee pot to "on"
I have the journal in my hands, #2 pencil (yes, a mere #2 writing pencil)
grab my color pencils and for 5 glorious minutes I play, then do the coffee
Then 5 more minutes.

The lighting on my creamy pages is not good here
and she is far from finished..but I had
to share with you that I am simply obsessed!!

AND, THE TINY STAY IN RAIN WAS SHORT LIVED.

IT BEGAN YESTERDAY ONCE AGAIN

AND TODAY IT IS BACK

UUUUURRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Good news: Found a roofer!!! Came today to assess the damage.
Says he will be back on Friday since it's supposed to clear up.
I certainly hope so on both accounts.

I think in total there have been six days and nights of rain here...not necessarily
on the other side of Saddleback Mountain...a few miles away
where I work..
But here in this town
It's as if the system keeps going round and round and not leaving.


I have more things to share, but I must sleep
(and maybe draw a bit first...somebody stop me!!)

SKETCHING IN THE NEST

The great thing about Friday or Saturday night sketching is that I am not
continuously glancing at the clock........

counting back hours to 'wake up time'.

I didn't spend more time with it, there is just an added deliciousness
to the process.

I did not add color until this morning after a leisurely,
warm my hands (since it's
only 63 in the nest after a very chilly night) cup of delicious coffee....

...not until I lit a
cozy fire,
played with the rascally cat,
and scanned the still wet back yard.

It's a gray, somewhat cold, all the lights are on at 10 a.m. kind of day.

And I can love it

because it is NOT raining.

~~~

ANGELS WORKING OVERTIME



Angels:

Angels accompanying me yesterday put in some overtime.
It's not the first time.

I'd like to think it would be the last time they would HAVE to.

But in all seriousness
that is unlikely.

Rain:

Rain descended upon us here in the desert for yet the second weekend.

As I type this
I am so happy to say that for the majority of THIS day, it has abated.

Roof issue, still not solved.

There is a possible contractor that I had on the phone as the rain began yesterday, and even though I didn't hear back last night or today as promised, I refuse to lose hope in them.

Rain & Angels:

It was dark by the time I left that desk at the office; the rain was steady with a fine, subtle veil of fog hardly noticeable. Dangerous

Windshield wipers working wonderfully thanks to Mr. J. who had the foresight a few months ago to replace the seldom used, sun dried, flexible no longer, bits of rubber that were barely hanging on. Hardly necessary in a climate that gets less than one inch of rain a year, right?

Driver's side headlight JUST replaced two night prior
by a kind young man at Checkers Auto who took a liking to the
gal who laughed slightly in amusement at her pretentious "I know what I'm doing" stride to the counter.
I had been thrilled that the cost was barely $10,
but when he offered to go right out and put it in for me, I expressed that I had not even considered THAT!

He says, "Well, you're really nice".......hmmmmm. Maybe they say that all the time, but I will accept the gift of kindness, regardless.
Bless his heart.

O.K. so back to last night.

Dark, rain, subtle fog..........and now I add that this town I have lived in MOST of my nine years here in Arizona is DARK as DARK can be, save for two of the three roads that get you into and out of town.
And even those two roads are only lit somewhere in the middle where they cross with the few that head in the East/West direction.

This gorgeous town is dark at night without street lights because it would impede celestial viewing.
I am not kidding even slightly.

It's in the town rules.

I am one of many who love that fact.
It's lovely to be outside and see the stars so easily.


The trouble began when I missed the left turn I take onto one of the streets to bring me home.
Not too much of a problem as I know there is another left a short way ahead that I can take and meander home to the nest.

Except it's really, really dark and the subtle fog is now not so subtle.

I see the green sign that warns us that the street is just ahead and I turn left where I
believe
the
street
IS.

Except it's not there as I turn.
There is nothing but curb..
And oncoming traffic that was not there as I made the turn
SO THEY CANNOT POSSIBLY SEE
that they are about to drive into the side of my car.

How could they?
The lights were pointing the wrong way, in the rainy, foggy darkness.

And I don't know how to get out of the jam I am in because I have to back up to get my car turned right.
And I don't know where to watch and every second is vital as more traffic is
now coming from both sides.

And I freeze.

Insert Angels..........mine and theirs.

The other drivers SEE me and drive around...somehow....magically.
And I back up a bit and pull out the same way I got there.

Now shaking, I take the next right hand street I can see.
Saguaro Boulevard. The same street our cafe is on, but down a few miles,
but now I begin to hydroplane
as I come upon a small lake in the middle of the road
due to one of many washes.

( WASH - A narrow, constricting dry bed of an intermittent stream, as at the bottom of a canyon, typically dry but subject to rapid flow during flash flooding.)

This instant lake is invisible until you are in it..because of the darkness.

So I start talking to these angels that I ALSO cannot see..

so that I don't cry.
(Clearly there is enough water to worry about.)

Circling the town, really, is what I am doing at this point to
find my way back home.....

..in the dark
sans celestial viewing...

..accompanied by celestial beings.

And I am so grateful.

My small gift to someone here..
in gratitude,
is this sweet book:

100 Ways to Attract Angels

&
A bookmark that I will create tonight

Just leave me a comment along with your e-mail
and I will draw a name Friday night

JOY ARRIVED

(Photos are Tracie's, used with her permission
as I could not take such a pretty photo)

One of the truly lovely blogs I visit every day is Tracie Huskamp's,
The Red Door Studio.

Recently she had a gift away and drew names from those of us who shopped in her Etsy botique. I had been shopping and purchased her stunning little book with her very own poetry and artwork.

OH MY!! when it arrived I knew I had to have another for a gift.

Lucky, lucky ME!!

Well, my name was picked!!!!
and this BEAUTIFUL...JOY banner arrived at my desk
(which certainly brought joy to my day)

The photo does not really show you how glittery the letters are,
or the delicate and so precious ribbon on the sides to hold it up.

I am so loving this gift from Tracie and everyone who knows this beautiful spirit could more than likely tell you stories of her generous heart and the depth of her talent.

If you've not had the pleasure of spending time at The Red Door Studio,
make a cup of tea or coffee...sit down and ENJOY!

~~


REST BEFORE SLEEP

10 Minutes before bed.........have to draw something
anything

It's a crazy drive you feel after a long day at the desk
with chaos all around you
demand upon demand
gossip and harsh tones

this need to sooth your spirit
and feed that child within
that still loves her crayons
and paper dolls

Tired and needing sleep I still reach for my journal
brown leather, 4x6, heavy cardstock pages
I love this little friend

15 minutes.......that's all I need to feel somehow refreshed
to sketch out a little being and relax my mind and
leave the day behind me.

It's all good.

Still trying to watch Tin Man...........some great lines (very few)...I like some of the characters...but all in all....not working for me.....so I sketch.
And now I say goodnight.

Watching Tin Man and sketching in my most favorite journal.

Wishing DG was a better actress

loving zipper head

~~~

ANGEL

Oh how I love this time of year
I feel enabled to bring out all my glitter and have at it.
Well, I guess I do that all year, but this time of year I feel especially DRIVEN
to glitter everything!

And it always bring to mind the year I added glitter to the store bought, snowman Christmas cards that went out as they seemed so lacking.
The ONE person who understood was Ryan.
I will never, ever forget his words each and every time I glitz something up.

"Don't you know, Dad, girls love glitter?!"

So here is a little angel I created with a Paper Whimsy face,
a Zetti rubber stamp,
white feather wings from Michaels,
and gold metal crown from....hmmmmmmm....I don't know where.
(update-crown from Artchix , thanks Lori!!)

It's an "Angel" kind of day.

Go here to see some stunning angels
being created by a dear friend.
Sharon's work will take your breath away.

FIRST COMES THE RAIN
THEN COMES THE FIRE

The normally blue sky turned ugly yesterday and if I didn't know better I would swear
I was not living in the desert.

I needed my umbrella and amazingly I knew where to find it.
More amazingly it had not fallen apart as many others have over the years from little moisture and high temps.

We lose many umbrellas here.

Either the wind that accompanies the rain blows them inside out rendering them flying weapons, or they just fall apart from lack of use and triple digits numbers every summer because I cannot remember to take it out of the garage and store inside in the closet.

24+ hours later.....it was still raining.
Most here just love it.

And that leads me to the first fire of this winter season. The temps dropped and finally I can have a fire.

You know who has not seen this phenomenon in her young life.

So I will let the photos tell the story.