Studies in Light...

{ picture of sun coming through my kitchen window}

I did a series of photos yesterday titled, Studies in Light. I am working on my collage but don't have it finished yet.

Yesterday was so beautiful i got out and took a lot of photos, and also took some from my kitchen.

I hope you like them..






my left eye

Our eyes are windows to the soul they say...




{ sunset from my front door}

it amazes me the beauty that surrounds us in our own homes and surroundings. it is there waiting, beckoning for us to find it...

"Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do."
-Rumi



Sinead O Connor, Nothing Compares
2nd video, 1st clip

one of my favorite songs..if you have time i hope you can listen to it..

to john...

xoxo Nita

{ this was my journal page for today}

The free bird leaps on the back of the wind

and floats downstream till the current ends

and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky

but a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill

of things unknown but longed for still

and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings for freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze

and the trade wind soft through the sighing trees

and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn

and names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams

his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

his wings are clipped and his feet are tied

So he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom

Maya Angelou

Today was my BirThday...

Two years ago John made me these hearts for my birthday.

We never had a lot of money, so he always made me things. Which I loved and treasured more than any gift he could have bought me.

That year he was feeling particularly sad about not buying me something. He had been outside for awhile, and when he came in, his hands were behind his back. I asked him what he was hiding and he handed these to me.

I could tell he had been crying. I asked him what was wrong and he told me he was sad about not being able to buy me something for my birthday. He said, "But I made these for you because I want you to know that you will always have my heart."

I looked down at the hearts and just felt loved..

I held him to me and cried because it was such a beautiful thing to say and do.

"You could not have given me something that I would have loved more than these." I said to him.

Simple treasures..That is what life is about. It isn't the diamonds, vacations, new cars, bigger houses. It is loving someone enough just to think about them.

It's taking out the trash when it needs to be taken out. Taking care of each other when you are sick. Going with them to family functions, even when you would rather have your teeth pulled out than go there. It is making each other feel needed and loved. It is the little everyday things that will be remembered most..

That's what I remember..

Tonight's song is Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown Band

1st video, pick a clip

This song reminds me of John so much. This was him. Except for the beer..LoL

Things i lovE...

My journaling page i did today was due yesterday and the theme was, Things i Love..

The things i love most are not my possessions but my family.


They mean everything to me... I did this drawing of them today. The one on the left is C.j my oldest, the one in the middle is Elizabeth { the baby},
Austin is the last one, and he is the middle child.

When they were small, they all use to ask who my favorite child was. And this went on all the time. Until it just about drove me crazy.

So one day I took C.j out for an ice cream cone and I looked at him real serious and I said, "You know you have always been my favorite but don't tell the other kids." He smiled at very sweetly and said. "I won't but I always knew I was your favorite."

Well the next day I did the same thing with Austin. And he was just tickled to death that I told him he was my favorite!

The next day I took Elizabeth out and told her she was my favorite and told her not to tell the boys. She got a gleam in her eye and said, "I won' t Mommy I promise." Yea right..

Well a week went by and everyone was giving me knowing winks and sly smiles. When all hell broke loose. They all got into a huge fight and words started flying. All of a sudden Austin looks at C.j and Elizabeth and says, "Guess what I am Mom's favorite?" And starts laughing.

Elizabeth looks at Austin like he has lost his mind. And she says, "No your not I am!"

C.j looks at both of them and says, "Your both crazy Mom told me herself that I am her favorite!!"

Then the light bulbs start going off in their little heads.. They all look at me at the same time. I look at them and say, " You are all my favorite! I can't love one of you more than the other because you are unique in your own way. I love you all. Now don't ever ask me who my favorite is again because it is all of you."

If you have little kids, do me a favor? Don't stress on the house being perfect today. Take them out for an ice cream. And Tell them a million times a day you love them.. because you'll miss the times when they were little. i sure do..

today's song, You're Gonna Miss This by Trace Adkins
1st video, 2nd clip

xoxo Nita

please check out Misty's site for her art and the other participant's fantastic work..
http://mistymawn.typepad.com/my_weblog/

Sing a nEW sONG.....

{Today's prompt was self- portrait}
I used art and a photo today

My inspiration for this piece came from a movie I saw a few years ago called, Educating Rita.
Rita was a woman who longed for a better life. She wanted to go to school and get an education, but her husband wanted her to stay home and have babies and take care of him. { there is nothing wrong with that if that is what you want}
But she wanted to get an education before she did those things. He didn't agree with her and made her life very hard about her decision, and ultimately she leaves.
But during one poignant scene in the movie they are at a pub and everyone is singing the same old song they have sang every Friday night for years. With the same drunk people.

She looks at her Mom and has an epiphany. She says, "There has to be a new song we can sing." And her Mom knows what she means and agrees very sadly.

The next day she told her professor about the experience. And she sums up her whole life by that phrase.

"There has to be a new song I can sing"

I want to sing a new song....

How about you?

xoxo Nita

Misty's site is: http://mistymawn.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Please check out her beautiful work and the other amazing participants.

i don't like my picture taken, but that may change this year. i need to grow.. Not hide.

today's song, Wall in Your Heart by Shelby Lynne

1st video, pick a clip

{please click on picture for a better view}

Rue hung Chinese Lanterns all over the front room.

She needed the color and the light to dispel the darkness that had dwelt there for far too long.

And you know what? It worked.

My inspiration for this piece came from a shop we passed by in St. Louis, Mo.

We had taken Elizabeth out for her birthday one year and saw this shop from the road. It had these lovely Chinese Lanterns hanging everywhere. And I thought how could anybody be sad surrounded with those everyday?

My thought for the day: You are unique, no one is like you. So please appreciate yourself. Celebrate you this week.

xoxo Nita

Tonight's song, Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens

1st video, 1st clip

Please check out Misty's site for her work and for the other particpiants. Her site: http://mistymawn.typepad.com/my_weblog/