Olympic Beading

Nothing like Olympic fever to inspire one to soar to new heights. While there is much to be said for training and preparation there is still the "just do it" theory of making things happen. Such was the case on Saturday. I had been visualizing a piece I wanted to make to wear  with some two tone agate I had purchased from Katie with Gemstones of Africa (she sells at the San Mateo Gem show) with an outfit on Sunday. Still I needed some items and had to be downtown to get my laptop upgraded. What a good excuse to make a side trip to Yone! The consultation started off with Sandra of course and then expanded to two other classmates with considerable experience and taste to match who just happened to drop by. If we tried to plan this it would never have happened. They loved the agate beads I wanted to work with and I was sorely tempted to buy an antique silver necklace to work into my piece. Reason prevailed (Hermon...I was so oooooooooooo tempted!) and at home I dug up a Tibetan piece I had been wanting to work with and before you know it my necklace was ready for its Sunday debut.

Freezing 4th of July

The Fourth of July conjures up sultry summer weather, picnics, tall cool drinks and of course fireworks. However, in our neck of the woods it works a little differently. It was freezing cold in Foster City which is usually quite warm. So yes...there is global warming (at least this year there was !). So instead of T-shirts and summer wear we were bundled up in parkas and hats!

It was worth the wait (although the traffic jam following took a great deal of rationalizing). Fireworks have such a magical  and primal quality ...no wonder they fascinate us.

The crowd responded with "Oohs" and "Aahs" accordingly.

The 4th of July is also the day my beautiful mother Pearl left this life. It was her favorite holiday and leave it to her to exit and give her family a chance to always have the day off in her memory (although a day does not go by that I do not think about her). Pearl - this salute is for you from number 1 Cat!

Sunrise, Sunset (or what a difference a week makes)

The saga of little NiuNiu comes to a most happy end. From the moment she was with her new guardian this dog stopped barking or acting out in any discernible way. It was love at first sight. After a quick trip to the vet (she checked out well but needed shots) she was licensed , flea treated (first time in a year) and groomed. The result speaks volumes (compare this photo to the one in my last post)  so all is well that ends well.  I took this photo when she came to observe the advanced obedience class on Sunday. I would encourage everyone to get involved in any way possible to help find homes for needy animals in these trying times.

NiuNiu is a New Girl!

While so much of the country suffers from triple digit heat, fires and storms we continue to be insulated by our natural air conditioning. The grass is always greener when it comes to weather and a little warmth (minus humidity thank you very much) would be most welcome now. A special moment of my day is watching the sunset from our window. It is always dramatic even when cloudy. That moment of transition that seems to take a long time and then is over before you know it applies to so many aspects of living. I have tried to capture these moments below. It is a blessing to be able to witness this splendor.

Take a moment to take in the sunrise (if you are up early enough) and no matter where you are make a point to catch the sunset everyday. Lev Tolstoy said if you want to be happy, BE. Watching sunrises and sunsets definitely works for me.