While I usually wait until Oct. 1 to bring out fall and Halloween things, this summer has just been so hot and so sizzling that the first day with a hint of a nip in the morning air sent me scrambling for pumpkin spice. Not everything is out and ready - and my closet won't switch all the way over for a few weeks - but I like the fireplace mantel!

While it certainly is not fall yet (gauging by the temperature, anyway), it has been a bit cooler than last week's hinge-melting heat. Therefore,  needing a respite from the office, I took my lunch to my secret little shaded park this afternoon. I really can't recommend this enough - I spread a blanket on the grass, kicked off my shoes, and ate my lunch whilst listening to the splashing fountain.

At the start of this year, I announced my intention to make this my "year of magic." That can mean many things, of course. This post is about a very particular kind of magic. Long ago and far away, I taught film classes and I hit upon the idea of centering the class around different science fiction films (any excuse to introduce students to…

At the start of this year, I declared that this would be my "Year of Magic." I wasn't sure what that was going to look like and I'm still not positive. I'm not interested in learning stage magic - card tricks, making a coin disappear, that sort of thing - but I am interested in being more present in my life and noticing the things around me that make life seem "magical."

I've often talked about the importance of using heirlooms and not just letting them gather dust and be "hands off." I really, REALLY think this is important. You won't feel connected to the people who used these things if the items are kept like museum pieces. And yes, that means things may get broken or lost - and when that happens, it's sad for a moment.

Sometimes there's so much to do that the only sensible course of action is to ignore all of it and find a few small pleasures. Here are three. The zinnias by the front steps are the talk of the pollinator world. I took a final look at that beautiful puzzle then joyfully tore it up to return it to the box. And I quick sketched a flower-stuffed handbag. A good end to July, I'd say!

Sad, really, but inescapable. Some people just are Debbie Downers, some dislike seeing women of a certain age behave in ways that are outside their particular worldviews, and a very few are just unhappy people. What to do when someone yucks your yum? There are, of course, a number of responses that don't involve having a bail bondsman on speed-dial, ranging from a quick smile to a shoulder shrug and it's up to each particular Diva to determine the best response.

Weekends with Dad can be bittersweet. In my memory, Dad is a tall, devil-may-care man with a huge appetite for life. As he enters his mid-90s, things are changing, and sometimes it's hard to see how my memory doesn't match my current reality. But there is so much beauty in the passage of time, too. I try to remember that it's common for age to show true value.

I've recently finished a virtual race. Upon pondering, I think it's the raven in me that is motivated by the promise of acquiring shiny things. To earn this one, I had to log the requisite number of miles (I decided my everyday steps didn't "count," although if that gets you moving, you do you, Boo!) and the summer heat slowed me down a good bit.

Today, to give myself a much-needed break from a lengthy to-do list that wasn’t getting any shorter, I took my lunch and left the office. I dropped a few novels off at a nearby Little Free Library (one of the most civilized organizations to exist in this modern world), and found myself by a small […]

Sometimes plans change suddenly and quite a bit. Friday, I drove home from work and stopped to take a few pictures of two lush fields of blooming sunflowers. I stood on the edge of one of the fields for a few minutes thinking of the fun weekend I had ahead of me while trying to […]

Today, I went to a tea tasting. Think anything that comes in a “flight” and you’ve got the idea, but with tea. We worked our way from a light blueberry-and-pomegranate green tea to a fig-and-ginger black tea (my total favorite!) and another black tea that featured mango and marigold petals. We finished with warm scones […]

I have written before about the importance of whimsy as an Essential on the Diva path. (Remember, you can search for all the Essential posts by using the search bar.) However, I think it's a great time to re-visit that with a bit more detail and discuss the importance of keeping a "whimsy list." It can be hard - very hard!

For years, I had a quote by Samuel Johnson painted on my fireplace mantel - "To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." When my Beloved and I moved to this house, I didn't paint that on this mantel; I like to think I've worked to inscribe it on my heart, but some days I wonder.

My Beloved had a work trip for a few days and I've decided to make it a "staycation" by doing a number of fun things close to home. After work today, I had a small adventure in geocaching, a sometime-hobby of mine that I've written about before. I like the treasure-hunting aspect of geocaching, but I also really enjoy the "finding cool places" part of it.

I work in Gaffney, a small South Carolina town that has some lovely bits to it (I've tried to spotlight some of those), along with some serious challenges. My job involves near-constant interaction with the public and most of that is lovely. Oh, sure, there are days where I have to remind myself that the chances are very, very good that this particular person did not - despite all evidence to the contrary - wake up and say, "Yep.

Building the life I want to live has taken - and continues to take - time. I find that it is valuable to take a beat to occasionally stop and look around at how the landscape looks. On Thursday, for example, I celebrated one year at my "new" job. They seem quite happy with me and I know that I am delighted with them.

Taking a slight break from painting. It's been more than 100 days since I worked on a puzzle, so I took some time this weekend to do that. A friend and I took advantage of the clear, hot days to meet up for chat and ice cream in the nearby town of Boiling Springs (aka "Bubblin' Waters") where we discovered the old and the new. Just look at that mosaic! And I am REALLY curious about that time capsule!!

On Friday, June 5, you can find me inside Box Turtle Books on Warren Street as part of Shelby's "First Friday" celebration. A block off the main square, Greenbrook Design will be hosting quite the event and Stem is having a Crème Brûlée Dance Party just a little way down the street. I'll be at Box Turtle from 4 to 7 with watercolors for sale with prices ranging from the truly ridiculous ($5) to the downright reasonable ($50).

Whew! With a lot of work and a great deal of encouragement, I made it to the 100 Day mark! That's right - 100 paintings in 100 days. This is my final batch, which is Day 92 through yesterday, which was Day 100. I must say, I'm quite pleased to see so much progress and I am living proof that it's all about consistent effort.

I haven't written a "Gaffney edition" of one of these for a while but, rest assured, there are Good Things in Gaffney. A week of frequent rain has eased the drought and it's been good for the flowers in the little park next to City Hall. The day lilies are gorgeous and at home, I can see hints that my gladioli will be blooming in a week or so.

I've gained enough confidence during this go-round to try that trickiest of subjects - the human form! Honestly, even doing cartoon-y style people can make me get tight and cramped, so it was important to remind myself of that tough wisdom that "it's just paper." It's okay for things to not quite work - you'll never, ever get better if you're too scared to try.

It's a rainy, nearly-chilly weekend. We badly need the rain and the cool temperatures are an excellent excuse to stay cozy at home, so I don't mind much. I walked around outside between cloudbursts and noticed how the yard projects are coming along. My Garden Gal has done so much to bring this first phase into being and I've contributed some efforts as well.

I struggle with calling myself an artist. I finally settled on referring to myself as an "enthusiastic hobbyist." But I'm not sure about that. I mean, it's not NOT true, but - seven years after first picking up a brush - I've sold paintings (some to people I don't even know!), people have purchased my paintings as cards and prints on…

It has been several days of NOT good things. There are, however, still things to celebrate. Let me explain. I don't want to seem like Pollyanna. She was very popular for a time and there's some good stuff in that book; honestly, there is. But there is a limit to cheery positivity in the face of rough times, bad news, and overall crisis.

The 100 Day Project continues! Here we have Days 71 - 80 - most are postcard-sized; that's just a VERY convenient size for everyday painting after a day of work. I'm actually going through paintings tonight - it's time to select two or so for the County Art Show and I'm going to participate this year! And there's another one in Rock Hill coming up that I'm considering.

When I began my career in higher education, I knew I needed to buy academic regalia - renting that stuff very quickly becomes a terrible economic decision. Regalia is a whole thing in education - your rig announces to those who can read such things your degree, your institution, and your area of expertise. Master's degrees have the coolest sleeves, but doctors have the best hats.

As you know, I've taken a Big Step forward into real gardening by figuring out what was beyond me and making arrangements with my very own "Garden Gal," who is doing amazing work in getting the vague ideas in my head on to paper and working with my budget and skill level to begin what is going to be a lengthy process to turn our regular, suburban "just plain grass" yard into a riot of color and textures with whimsy and surprises tucked here and there.

Still at it! I'm now in the final month of the 100 Day Art Project and I'm going strong! I am noticing some interesting things - on days where I feel like I "have" to paint (these days usually follow a very full workday), I tend to get "tight," meaning that I'm literally tense. For me, this settles in my shoulders and I have a death-grip on my brush.

My Beloved and I have spent this weekend celebrating our wedding anniversary. We didn't do anything particularly large - no cruise or Broadway show, no weekend away or couples retreat - we just acted as tourists in our own town and surrounding area. We visited our favorite types of shops - book, record, art, chocolate. We ate delicious food and people-watched.

Today I started my day with a Very Good Thing - a real sit-down breakfast featuring the "good stuff." I had a box of frozen almond croissants and set one out to proof overnight. Bake that while preparing fresh fruit and strong coffee featuring just the right amount of hot milk and -- chef's kiss. The day also featured me tumbling down a rabbit hole of discovering native North Carolinian John Coltrane's Crescent album. There's always plenty to learn, Divas.

Today's OGT was feeling appreciated at work. I'm taking a long weekend to celebrate my 16th wedding anniversary with my Beloved (for some truly bizarro reason, wax is the traditional gift. Not sure about that one. Maybe I'll receive a bag of Babybel cheeses), so I was trying to resolve as much as I could before leaving. Of course, I didn't get it all done, but these folks got along fine before I stepped onto the scene.

Today's OGT was brought to me by a good friend and lunch at The Arsenal. Nothing fancy, but solid, stick-to-your-ribs food. I suspect that one reason The Arsenal has been around for more than half a century is the careful placement of homemade desserts by the cash register. Deciding that the occasion of lunch with my professional chef friend warranted dessert, I asked the young man behind the register for a recommendation. 

It's good to realize that you're old enough to not worry about seeming cool. Go see the trained doggos. And to have good friends to gallivant around with. Enjoy a really well-made mocktail. And make time to create, especially on the weekends. Go live well, Divas!!

This is the first update post of the second half of my 100 Day Art Project and I have to say that I see some real growth in this sort of consistent work. By that, I don't just mean getting "better" (whatever that means), but getting more courageous about the type of projects I take on. I really see progress in my willingness to try things that I thought were beyond my reach.

My first foray growing houseplants from cuttings was successful to the point that I have Wandering Dude cuttings to give away! I trimmed my Dude and let the cuttings root in water for two weeks, but I'm told that this plant wants to thrive so much that you can just stick a cutting into good potting soil and it'll probably figure out how to survive.

In the last week or so, I've had several new things that are designed to make it a little easier to have touches of elegance in my everyday life arrive. I consider all of these Good Things, so I'm grouping them into a single post - why not? First, I have irises in gorgeous full bloom. These irises are especially memorable because they come from…

Such a nice day! A friend had an extra ticket to Stereophonic and kindly asked me to go. This show is basically a fictionalized version of the tribulations Fleetwood Mac had during the insanely-long recording of Rumours, which is possibly a perfect album. The band dealt with interpersonal infighting, WAY too much cocaine, and insecurities clashing with ego for months on end.

Surprises are often good things and that certainly is what I got when I parked my car at work this morning. Imagine my surprise when, as I'm  running my "to do" list through my head, I notice several men in breeches and tricorn hats wandering down the sidewalk. Then I remembered that it was the day of the ribbon-cutting for the…

Every now and again, I add a post here that centers on something I consider to be an "Essential" in the Splendor journey. (You can search for all of these Essential posts using the search bar, if you'd like to read more.) This post is one of those. You see, I thought it was High Time to write about Pleasure…

With this batch of daily paintings, I've hit the halfway mark on the 100 Day Art Project! I was working with Easter bunnies for a few days here - all of them are different, which just reminds me of the endless possibilities of art. I hope you're enjoying your own version of this - it really is remarkable what can happen when you set aside a little time each day to done something creative.

I'm visiting Dad this weekend and it is a clear, sparkling April day; the sort of day I want to be outside, preferably in the woods. Dad, however, wants to sleep and rest - and at 93, I think he deserves that. So I've checked in on him and walked around outside, marvelling at mockingbirds busily building a nest, gorgeous multi-colored irises, and the strong scent of French lilacs.

As I continue to work my way through the 100 Day Art Project, I have to say that I'm glad I picked postcard-sized projects! While a few are larger, I really save those for weekends. After I get home from work and take care of the day-to-day chores that my house and life require, it's far less daunting to face a 4 x 6 inch piece of paper.

I had several Good Things to discuss today - I took a lovely ramble through the woods and I saw strangers helping each other out with jumper cables, both of which are Good Things. I also went to a Tenebrae service at the church I used to attend regularly - enough that I was a lay reader and member of the Altar Guild.

I came home today from a long day at work, followed by a few errands. I stepped into the house and immediately became an excitable small child. WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE MOON, BABY! NASA has successfully launched Artemis II,  the first crewed deep-space flight mission in more than 50 years. These brave explorers intend to travel around the Moon and return safely home, testing a new rocket and capsule system and taking the first steps toward a return to manned space exploration.

I swooped in to Aldi's garden week to grab two raised beds (hopefully more on that this weekend) and treated the Furred Ones to a spring scratch house. Aldi does these several times a year and the spring theme is a definite win - not only does it have cat-head-shaped entryways, but it has awnings! AWNINGS! Seeing the house kindle discover the catnip-laced floor was a show in itself! Definitely a good thing!

Continuing with my version of The 100-Day Project! I am especially pleased that I managed to keep painting while visiting Dad this past weekend. I packed a abbreviated version of things (watercolor postcards, a simple 12-color palette, two brushes, pencil, liner, white marker, and eraser) and made sure to choose some simple projects that could be done with layers of wet on dry, so I could do them in very short bursts.

As I continue actively searching for "moments of magic" in my everyday life, I'm learning quite a bit - including that, in some traditions, the start of spring is viewed as the start of the year. I like that. Spring begins with the Vernal Equinox, where day and night are balanced. Daylight gets a little longer every day from then until the Summer Solstice, which marks the start of summer on the longest day of the year.

This is my monthly weekend with Dad. Since I took this new position back in June, my schedule has changed - I used to stack my classes in Tuesday/Thursday blocks so I could drive up on Thursday and stay into Monday. That's not the case now, although Friday is a half-day for me, so I can arrive in time to pick up groceries and unpack before picking up Dad from the local senior center.

I have completed my walk around Paris! For these virtual challenges, you set your own rules, so I counted walking and biking, but not everyday steps. I especially enjoy getting my virtual "postcards" when I reached milestones on the virtual walk. These tell you about sights and history along your journey. Oh, you'll find killjoys who will tell you that these sorts of challenges "don't count." To them, I say it got me off the couch during the doldrums of winter and they should just lighten up a bit.