It is getting on late in the evening and soon I will be heading into the black velvet of what will hopefully be a very sound sleep. My mind is spinning and having difficulty wrapping itself around the huge earthquake that Chili has experienced. The astonishing speed at which ones' life can change in the blink of an eye, the fragility of the life we make here on earth, the tenuous connection, the barest whisper of a thread that keeps us in day to day life.I am saddened for the families, the businesses, the country for the experience they have had and will continue to have for the years to come. I am powerless to effect a change here, we are all powerless in the face of mother nature. Nature can nurture us and yet still cause such devastation as to bring us to our knees.

So before I head into the sleep I am longing for, I will have a prayer upon my lips for Chili along with the prayers I whisper every night for family, friends and Haiti.

I have not always been successful, but I enjoy working with all the different resins on the market. I can make mini collages from pictures I have collected from magazines, books and postcards, layer them in frames and then add resin giving a piece a permanence. Rather like making miniature art.The most difficult part is making sure the resin cures all the way. In this area, I am still a student with grand thoughts of future success.

If you look very closely, deep in the tangled branches of this dessert tree; you will see a beautiful red bird. Surprising me with all his color against the gray brown of the winter cloaked Tucson landscape; I liked tracking him in the brush trying to capture his illusive beauty on camera.

My poor neglected bog! You can always tell when I am busy, running off in a thousand directions like light emanating from a shattered mirror: no word is written, no picture posted. I am returning to this location, to this on line journal of thought and word tomorrow night after work. I am feeling too tired at this day's end to keep writing but I did want to post this picture. I love it so much! My brother Bob, my husband Phil, in the hotel room in Tucson. I am tickled they stood together for a picture and happier still that they seem to be enjoying the moment.

Valentine's Day

This was supposed to be an image randomly chosen from the internet for Valentine's Day but; we all know how that little cupid of the day can mess with things! These are a fellow blogger's chickens. I love pictures of chickens. I am particularly fond of drawing and painting chickens as any of the collectors of my work will tell you. With my last name it is a given that chickens would be in my life. If we did not have so many coyotes; I think I would even own a few. I have heard they can be downright loving!

This is the first day I have made my sorry self get out of bed. I actually even made it to the studio and made a few dragonfly earrings while watching an old Barbara Stanwyck movie. Pathetic! So much to do and so much I want to do and all I CAN do is sleep.a

Looking back upon many Valentine's Days; I feel lucky and blessed to have had so many people to love and be loved by. This journey we call life has blessed me with loving children, stepchildren, in laws, family and even an ex husband. It has been and will continue to be a privilege to be loved by them. I will love with all my being in return. Happy Valentine's Day all!

I am home! It was raining when I left for Tucson, raining when I left Tucson and raining when I landed in Seattle. It hardly seems as if anything has changed! I promise pictures later, show news and much more but for now I need to let my Tucson cold put me back to sleep. ZZZzzzzzzzz

Here I am in beautiful sunny Tucson selling myself ( LOL ) and my wares at The Whole Bead Show. I am happy to be here and even happier to see old friends and customers. People say the nicest things about my work and it makes me feel like a zillion dollars! Well, duty calls or rather Phil does so I must run for now! Thinking of all of you, xo, Lois