The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Oddly enough, earlier this morning Cheryle and I were talking about the business of art, and I was saying how happy I was to have a publisher. We talked about galleries, percentages, web sites, and the like. Well, in today's mail my monthly sales statement, and mailbox money arrived from Sun Dance, and I could not be any happier with the contents. Looks like, among sales to others, Hobby Lobby has re-ordered some of the larger prints they bought late last year. Well, that is very good news indeed. How I got so lucky is anyone's guess!

Then too, I recently had a small bump in my PayPal account from a photo sharing site I've been on for years--flickr. In the first few weeks that I owned a digital camera, son Matthew suggested I might want to join it, and as I recall, he gave me what was then called a "pro" membership. Believe you me, I was anything but a PRO! On the other hand, I learned from lots of real pros on there, and for years uploaded photos to the site for fun. Recently, they've decided to create a flickr marketplace to sell photos of some invited photographers. Count me shocked that I was included. At any rate, never did I think anything would sell, so I was mighty surprised reading the email saying a photo sold back in April

The older I get, the more I like the idea of other folks selling my photography for many reasons. That said, I do like interacting with my customers, and learning their stories. Yesterday it was killer hot, in spite of my mega fan, but folks did come out, including a young woman who purchased from me a few weeks ago and was back for more. That is always a very nice feeling. Because it was so insanely hot, when I noticed Captain Isaiah White sweating profusely, I invited him into the tent for some relief. For maybe the next two hours, in between booth visitors, I heard his story, and it is remarkable.

Raised in a family where both parents did not graduate high school, he worked crazy hard to not only stay out of trouble as a youth, but went on to go to college, eventually becoming one of only nine captains in the Orlando Police Department. We talked at length about all sorts of stuff, including his take on the policing problems around the country.(This too shall pass is part of what he had to say.) Very interesting stuff to say the least. And if you are curious, in his opinion, the blame lies with both the police departments and the public. When Bruce arrived, I asked Captain White re-tell the story I'd already heard about his wife's grandfather who worked as a mason until two weeks before he died. Oh yeah, he was 98!

So, that was Sunday. Friday I had quite a different experience--I had a facial for the first time in probably twenty years; part of that package we bid on at the Parkinson's fundraiser. The sweet young woman, Madison, was earnest in her skin care convictions. Not once did I burst her bubble, which is saying a lot for me. On the other hand, when she mentioned that massages were good for people, my reply was that I think it is an industry that has sprung up because people have disposable incomes, and are gullible. Needless to say, she was speechless.

Before heading to the facial, on my bike ride I saw something you just don't see every day...

I can't imagine what was wrong with this column, but it was clear they were repairing it, and in the photograph, I believe ready to re-install it on the other side of the porch.

Now that owl season is nearly over, we may have to focus our attention on peacocks. Their babies usually come around in July, and they are cute as a darn button. Not as cute as an owl baby, but really, what is? Human babies excluded.

Or, perhaps black racer snakes which seem to be plentiful of late.

This one was just outside the side door and probably four feet long.  Just the other day, as I was sitting out by the pool talking to Angela, one slithered over to the pool from the bushes behind me, had a drink, and then slithered off to the other side of the yard! Fortunately they are harmless to humans.

Then too, a very interesting mushroom has been growing, and I mean that literally, as it was once super tiny. The purplish stem has kept me intrigued.

Speaking of plentiful, good grief, the birds are eating us out of house and home! So many, many birds.

A woodpecker is on the side you do not see. Of late it is taking about three or four days for the feeder to empty, and we are talking five pounds of seed. :)

Used to be Baxter spent a good part of his days laying on the couch, however, since the remodel, it is a rare site for him to be up there by himself, which is why I thought he looked so darn cute the other day.

Saturday evening we went over to Cheryle and David's for a pool party with the usual gang. Lisa and Bunker are working on the puzzle that is a constant around the Beatty home.

Bunker brought along a friend who is visiting from the DC area. I took a picture of them together, but I thought this one was more fun.

In the middle of the party we made a quick airport run to pick up Dave and Michelle who were returning from a holiday in Puerto Rico. It is not often that they need help, so when they ask, we are more than happy to do so.

According to the weather forecast for the week ahead, heat is what we should expect. 97 degrees to be exact. Oy vey! Say it ain't so.

Heading into what I call "Greater Summer",

Gail

Mailbox Money Moment

I'm bursting with good stuff today, so here we go.....

Let's begin with this beautiful little butterfly, shall we?

Adorable, isn't it? That said, I wonder if it is a moth?????

So, I told you just the other day that I let Cheryle choose my color, because, well, she knows her color! Taken in her yard, she moved stuff all around until she has a cohesive color palette in her yard, including this area, that looks fantastic right now.

Well, with the help of this cute little foam roller, I'm finally done painting the french doors. If you've never tried one of these, on your next painting project, do so.

You can see just a wee bit of the bottom of the door showing you how much brighter the new paint is and I could not be any more pleased. That's an old curtain on the floor as my drop cloth. Between our home, and Bill's, we've used our fair share of drop cloths, all old tablecloths, shower curtains, window curtains, and the like. Each one brings back memories of when I thought they were perfect, then as time went on, I decided they weren't. Which, is more than likely, what I'll think of this massive painting project in five or so years. Trouble is, by then, I may not be so anxious to do it myself, after all, I am getting old!

Our french doors have what is called 15 lights--in laymen's terms, windows. I figured, by the time I was done, I'd painted around 240 windows!!! How so, you ask? Two sets, both sides, two times. Go figure.
I'm allowing the paint to harden just a bit before the scraping, although there isn't all that much as I used the 1" brush shown above. Woo hoo!!

It must have been Tuesday, while taking a break for lunch, I went to get the mail, when what to my wondering eyes should appear? Bruce's yearly bonus check!!!! Normally I leave Bruce's mail alone, however, in this instance I saw it was a check from Darden, piquing my curiosity. Then too, I knew he would not mind, so open it I did, and freaked out over what I saw. A mailbox money moment, indeed. When Bruce was working full time, he received a yearly bonus about this time of the year, which truth be told, we mostly put in the bank. When you know money is coming in on a regular basis, you don't get nearly as excited, but you knew that didn't you? Calling him ASAP, he too was both elated, and surprised, as we did not know he would be getting it for the part of the fiscal year he was still working.

So, what did we do later? Why, we went out to eat with a coupon!

These days it is Smokey Bones, on East Colonial Drive, but years and years ago it was a Red Lobster. In fact, the very Red Lobster where we went to celebrate after picking up my wedding ring Bruce finished paying for in cash. No credit cards back then...

My goodness, that was a while ago--in just 11 days we will be celebrating 41 years of married bliss. I so hope our children will be able to say the same in the coming years!

As we were leaving, there was the most incredible sky following a small rainstorm, as evidenced by the tiny puddle with the reflection.

Monday afternoon, while Bruce was working at Church Street, I ran over to Bill's house to see some of the improvements I missed by skipping Saturday's work day. Bobby, his tile guy is working on the kitchen back splash, cutting in the front yard, adjacent to the NEW FENCE Bruce built on Saturday to hide that unsightly pump.

Then too, Herbert finished painting the underside of the back patio awning, another great improvement. Paint, a homeowner's best friend!

Once we finally got the pool in shape, Bill has been doing a great job maintaining it, thankfully, putting me out of a job as the pool person!

Bill took the afternoon off to watch/help Bobby as he did the complicated onyx install behind the range.

Fairly soon there will be tile in the opening, followed by the white trim, and new fancier counter supports. The blue things on the wall are for sconces, yet another future improvement. Let's go back in time for a moment to see what that wall once looked like:

Wow, was that an ugly mess! By the time Matt and Tom come for Thanksgiving, it should be looking very good indeed. Earlier this year, during a stateside visit, Matt was concerned with the size of the project, so it will be a nice surprise to see how far we've come.

You know what? When telling the story of Regina's robbery I got her age wrong--she will soon be turning 78! Imagine, running after a robber at that age? She's something else.

Finally, with the bonus money safely deposited in the bank, Bruce allowed himself a small purchase,

Yup, this is yard day, and as I type he's out there trimming everything in sight with his new clipper attachment! No longer will he have to use the 25 foot extension cord! His back, as I mentioned in my last post, is coming along nicely. And so it is, that Mrs. Camera Crazy must get dressed herself for the yard work. Generally, I put a bathing suit on under my clothes, jumping in the pool at intervals when I think I will burst from the heat!!

May you too, soon have a mailbox money moment...