artsy

observed works of art created by talented artists at the celebration of fine art
what i really enjoyed was the fact that the artists were creating pieces right in front of you all day long...and you can ask them questions about their pieces on display, the pieces they are working on there, what inspires them, their artistic history, etc.

spoke with a wood worker who explained the different sections of a tree (including the "heart wood" at the center) and the processes he goes through on his way to a finished product...he said sometimes he lets the cut wood sit to harden for one year...oh, the patience he must have! he explained what makes that pearlescent wood (it is the bending growth of the branches and the 'wrinkling' of the joints) and we agreed that the patterns inside of the trunks and branches are so beautiful and unique that god must have created them for us to admire...

also spoke with a man carving large stone sculptures and visited his sculpture garden outside of the tents...he leaves some of the stone in its natural state but uses a series of processes to keep it in its most colorful state (as if the stones were wet)...lots of hard work, lots of muscle...

other artists included painters, a wonderful photographer who sees the architecture in nature and therefore photographs in black/white to best capture it, and a woman hand-sewing and hand-making leather books...

$8.00 admission...cheap...and with that initial purchase, return every day with your ticket at no charge until the show ends on march 28

the snow

love love love snow patrol and reading the lyrics i don't have

never forget house of blues with K, sdsu with M

enjoying the most recently released compilation everywhere i can without being a hazard to myself or others (e.g. - playing too loudly while biking so as not to hear a faster, professional cyclist approaching)...their music is a gift and i appreciate the gift to me...

btw..."one night is not enough", "an olive grove facing the sea", "dark roman wine", "give me strength", "signal fire", "black and blue"

go take a hike

there is nothing quite like a desert hike where you can see the new growth after a rain, smell the creosote bushes, see a million saguaro cacti of all different ages, step on granite that is older than you can fathom, get a view of the entire city, feel like you are a lone explorer, feel a breeze, find some peace...and then share it with others...

a new favorite outdoor getaway

gateway loop trail and other trails map

evoo

queen creek olive mill...where you learn how they make evoo (or extra virgin olive oil, to the lay person!), that black olives don't exist and where a chef's dreams come true...

unbelievably decadent, moist cake made with their 20-day infused evoo and has a very mild lime flavor...who would've thought? perfect for breakfast with coffee or tea, dessert with or without ice cream or fruit or just for a naughty little snack whenever the **** you feel like it
olive oil cake

fyi - typo in recipe reads the following but is really their infused "queen creek olive mill mexican lime extra virgin olive oil":

• 10 oz. QCOM Mexican Lime Extra
• Virgin Olive Oil

trying their meyer lemon infused evoo...going to substitute that for the lime evoo and the other lime ingredients with lemon...may be bold and try it with regular evoo and fruit juices too...just go for it

yahoo, hulu and netflix, oh my!

or at least those are the sites i seem to be visiting whether that be to check the day's news or weather or celebrity awards show outfits or animal shows or discoveries on shows or jon stewart or cougar town or the office or chelsea lately or new flicks or old flicks...wait...i forgot to mention the 8,000,000 find-a-job/career/profession/part-time/full-time/contract/ temp-to-hire sites in cyberspace as well...not sure when i will get over the fact that you can do all of this when just the other day oregon trail was being used for educational purposes...crazy and i'll have to get over my wonder and amazement and hug it and thank it every day for all that it does for us. but i think i'll hug a person today too...

btw..."expelled:no intelligence allowed" with ben stein and "30 days" with morgan spurlock

smile&move

bright and sunny and hopeful and inspirational and intentional site my mom sent me...video on the main page to the right @ www.smileandmove.com

love thyself

"self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting."
william shakespeare

new vision center for spiritual living with family and a friend

• the voice of self-love is loving and honoring yourself, and the infinite love you possess within
  
• love each other, god on earth, yourself just the way you are
  
• divine love seeks us and does not withhold/reward - it always accepts us
• ask yourself if your perceptions and your acceptance of those perceptions are, in fact, true

so...

1. make a list of all of the things you love about yourself...recognize, appreciate and enjoy the things you have to offer and the things you bring in to your experiences that only you can
   
2. do something nurturing for yourself...don't neglect yourself; do things you love more; you don't always need to show people because as you nurture yourself, you become the gift
   
3. have compassion for yourself...just because you made a mistake, doesn't make you the things you tell yourself you are