A Bird was in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

Yesterday I was zinging stale crackers out the door for the birds and accidentally hit a bird in the head with one. He fell a couple branches down but then got up and flew away. I felt so bad but for some reason I can't quit laughing about it. I think it was the way he looked while he was falling.~nita~

C.J Turns 25

This is my son Clayton he turned 25 today. He was a Senior in high school in this picture, and had just been in a football game the night before, scratch on his forehead. I had him when I was 16 years old, and it feels weird to be 41 years old and to have a 25 year old. I have always called my son C.J. He is one of a kind. He has a heart the size of Texas and would give you the shirt off his back. He has a sense of humor like nobodies business and can make me laugh just by looking at me.

But, the thing I love about him more than anything is that he loves the Lord . He was ordained this past March. I was so proud of him. He never had it easy growing up either. He has had many trials that would break alot of people. But, C.J. is strong. I love you son. Happy Birthday, you make me proud. love Mom

You Were Born to Shine

I took this picture a few weeks ago, As soon as I had taken the photo a huge wind came out of nowhere and blew the leaf from my hand. I looked for it because I was going to put it in a small frame because it was so pretty. But, I could never find it. Then I thought about it, life is the same way, it is fleeting. We only have a small amount of time here on earth. We have to choice wisely what we do with it. I want to shine. I want to radiate, I want to learn not to hate. I want to love.

~nita~

There is a clip to the right by a singer named Shawn Mullins, he is one of my favorite singers. If you have time click on the 2nd clip, it's a song called Shimmer, it is how I feel about life.

~nita~

Me at 5 years old

(my favorite bird was the Goldfinch at 5 years old. I got the sticker from Bible school and stuck it on my picture.)


The year was 1971, and I wanted to be Tarzan. Do I hear laughter all the way from blog land? I was not your average 5 year old girl. That summer I ran around in my underwear, (it was 1971) Tarzan didn't wear clothes, neither would I. It was a common occurrence for me to be in the front tree of our home and let loose with a Tarzan yell. I practiced those yells daily. You know, the old Johnny Weissmuller yell, the best Tarzan of all. One day the neighbor lady was putting water in her birdbath when I let loose with one of these yells. She tripped over herself trying to find out what that heinous sound was and fell flat on her back. My Mom comes running out because she has seen the whole thing from the window. She helps the lady up, I am ordered in the house. She came back in a few minutes and explained to me, while trying not to laugh why I should not scream like Tarzan when older people were around, I agreed. But, occasionally still let loose a yell , when the bird lady was in the yard.

I remember very vividly my birthday that year, my Mom never got me a present, or baked me a cake (no, we are not Jehovah witnesses). So I waited until she took her afternoon nap. And crept into her room and cracked eggs in her knee high boots. It was a glorious feeling. I put them way back in the closet and about a week later the most horrible smell erupted from her closet. She started searching for it and came upon her boots. She took them out of the closet and black mold had grown all the way to the top! She asked me if I knew anything about how they got like that. I looked at her very solemnly, and told her Dad had cracked eggs in her boots when he was drunk. And she believed me! It wasn't uncommon for him to do stupid crap like that when he was drinking.

I remember being fascinated with everything around me. I was so curious. I loved to color and create things. And I ran everywhere. I knew the names of trees and birds, because my Mom taught me those things. I had an imagination out of this world, and was convinced our next door neighbor was a werewolf.
I drove my Mom crazy because I wanted to be a singer when I grew up, and I would go around singing Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves at the worst possible times, like in the grocery store at the top of my lungs. When people would ask why I liked that song I would tell them because my family was a band of roving Gypsies. Dad spanked me once for that when he overheard me telling the mailman we wouldn't be needing the mail delivered at our address anymore because we were getting ready to leave for a long trip across America in our caravan.

I also was madly in love with the boy next door, who also was madly in love with me. He was an ass. He taught me to pick my scabs and convinced me to eat one. I know that is pretty gross. He did it first!

We broke up after the little brat knocked me out with a horse at the park. It was one of those swings in the shape of a horse. He said, "Hey Nita, come here." So I go running over and he pulls up on his horse hits me in the temple and I go out like a light. Still makes me mad.

I really liked me. I remember thinking I could be a dentist because I pulled my own teeth. None of my friends were that brave. Yep, that was me at 5. ~nita~

What were you guys like when you were 5 years old?

I am going to see John this evening, I went a few days ago and he is really having a difficult time. It is so hard to write about it sometimes. I keep so much in, I hate to show pain. He has an infection still and is fighting it, he has a bedsore the size of my fist on his tailbone.

I could literally see inside his body. I cried all the way home the other day, I felt so helpless. I asked the doctor what they are doing about it, they are treating it aggressively. He is turned every 2 hours and it has to be deep cleaned and packed. It is horrible, I had to leave the room during the procedure because it smelt so bad I thought I was going to throw up. He has went through so much. But, yet he still smiles. I would appreciate the continued prayers of everyone for John . He needs them so much. For anyone who would like to send a card here is his address:

SSM Rehab

c/o John Zimmerman

room 137

6420 Clayton Road

St. Louis , Mo.

63117

I could not get the Water is Wide to load. So I put a song on here that has always been me and John's song. Dream Weaver, by Gary Wright. We loved this one when we were teenagers. ~nita~

It is to the right of this post click on the second photo.

200th post!!!!

Why yes, this is my 200th post . And , I am introducing you to Suzi Blu. Check out her videos on You Tube in the top right corner. She is so funny I just fell in love with her, not in a weird girl on girl way. Just as a very funny person I love kind of way. I laughed so hard at all of her videos because she is just plain funny. And they are only 2 minutes long!! She teaches about art, and journaling. And, she is really good at teaching. She motivated me so much just to keep doing an art journal. I learned more from her little videos in 2 minutes than I have from some people in a whole class. I found out about her on On Amanda's site, Hidden Art , http://hiddenart.wordpress.com/hiddenart Thanks Amanda!!

I would like to have a give-a-way for my 200th post so please leave a comment to be included. ~nita~

There is a new video on below Suzi, Here Comes the Rain, by the Eurythmics. This song makes me feel alive. To be out on that cliff with those clouds rolling in would be wonderful, with the spray of the ocean in your face. That's living. And her voice is so intoxicating. It soothes the ear. It says no embedding, but just click on it and it will go to a screen and play anyhow. ~nita~

Common Crackle

(click on photo to read)

I scanned this photo from , Book of North American Birds. I really admire the Common Crackle, it is one of the many birds that come to my feeder everyday. The little picture on the bottom right of the page is the Crackle puffing its chest out and singing. I always thought when I saw them doing this they were calling the other birds to eat. ha ha. I never knew it was them trying to impress the ladies, until I read this book. I love it that they write the Crackle singing has the melody of a creaking garden gate!!

The Crackles are very clean birds . Out of all the birds that come daily, they are the first ones in the bird bath. I usually change the water 3 times a day because there are so many birds that come. ~nita~

I have a clip from you tube with the song , Out of The Woods by Nickel Creek to the the right of this post. Click on the second photo of that clip. The video is from House (weird, but kinda neat), I tried to find one of Nickel Creek playing that song and couldn't. If you have a chance listen to it, it is really good. It is a favorite of mine.

I had to take some of my music off because I had a friend tell me that it was not letting her access my site. I loved those songs too. I will just feature a couple of new songs a day. ~nita~

Blondie you won the scrap paper. Elizabeth drew a name for me last night out of all the names I have saved of those who have sent cards. Sorry, I did not announce it sooner. E-mail me your address. ~love nita~

Isn't this photo I took groovy? I love the bird nests in the letters!