Create!

 February and March had too much going on and I kind of got out of step with my creative projects.  Didn't have that many and forgot to show them.  So I am catching up! 

This is one of my photos that I framed inside the lid of a bee box that had belonged to Himself's father.  

I've been doing some exercises with abstract drawing.  This one turned out well.

My second piece for my 'lunch bag journal'.  This month's prompt was "Fun".  What could be more fun than a party with Baloo, Little Bird, and Little Hoss?!  Each element in this collage is a separate piece.

I've been taking a monthly book making class at the Clarksville 'Downtown Artist Co-op' (DAC).  The book last month is called a Flag book.  There are quite few thing you can do with a book like this.  It's going to be fun exploring the ideas.

In the first class we made 'accordion' books.  I've used this one to keep my favorite ATCs that I've gotten in swaps.

Haven't decide what to put in this accordion book.

Bonsai 101: It's Done!

With all that was going on in my life in early March, I forgot to tell about the March bonsai class.  Ya gotta love Tennessee weather... at the January and February classes we were in short sleeves.  In the March class... we nearly froze!

Our lesson was on watering.  Our instructor had trees in various need of water and we had to decide what that need was.

Side note... one of Eileen's beautiful bonsai trees!

Our tree of the month was a Japanese maple.  Here I am doing root work to get it ready for repotting.

 A quick spray rehydrates the roots and gets rid of some of the stubborn soil.

Getting after those roots some more.

Finally done!  All that was left was to get it in bonsai soil in this pot.

Now for April... our last class.  A bittersweet day.  I have loved these class and have learned so much.  I wish it could continue.  On the other hand... I was really tired of the early mornings and the hour and a half drive.

Our day start with a short lesson.

And then our final.  Four pages worth 50 points.  Going to brag a bit; I only missed one and probably could have argued it and gotten the point.

Our graduation cake.

The group (at least most of us).  On either side are our teachers Eileen and John.

Our final tree was a bald cypress!

One of my favorites.

They are so tough that is was a quick repot.

In a short time I was finished with both my tree and the bonsai course.

My BBFF (Bovine Best Friend Forever)

Apparently I have a very unique skill set.  

Remember my photos of the darling baby calves?

Well, as I was talking to him ALL of the other cows decided to come up and join the conversation!

They were very good listeners.

In fact, they were all ears!

Quite a few of them talked back too.  This one was a real 'moo cow'.

The bull wondered what all the talk was about and came to check it out.  He soon tired of the girl talk.  He wandered back to his patch of clover.

Then to my total surprise, Number 7 walked right up to me.  I slowly stretched out to see if I could touch her.

I did more than touch her... she wanted scratching!

I spent several minutes scratching her face, ear, and neck before I needed to leave.  What a fun surprise!  Just call me Teri the Cow Whisperer!

To Cherish...

Did you know that 21 April is "Husband Appreciation Day"?

Himself and I will be married for 38 years this September.  There are so many things I appreciate about him.  If I were given a choice to go back to 1981, knowing everything that has happened in our lives, and decide whether or not to marry him... oh I WOULD!

And here are just a very few reasons why I would...

I love his faith.

(Doing Bible study at the kitchen table so he could be in the same room as me.)

I love how much he loves our niece and nephew.

(Taken at Elephant Rocks State Park on a fun outing with them.)

I love that he is a rescuer.

(He pulled this little lizard out of that fire blazing in the background.)

I love his great fashion sense.

(OK... maybe not so much.  But he does clean up nice!)

I love taking cat naps with him.

(And so does Persia!)

I love that he brings me flowers.

(Wild roses he picked for me.)

I love how he makes me feel special.

(A home made chocolate cupcake and a cuppa of tea for my birthday.)

I love his delicious chocolate pudding he makes for me.

(Yes, it is as good as it looks!)

I love when he asks, "Would you like some hot biscuits?"

(What other answer is there but "Yes"?)

I love how he always helps me with the yard work.

(Here he is raking out my herb bed.)

I love how he participates in my interests.

(Helping me get my bonsai bedded down for the winter.)

I love how he enjoys going on trips, lectures, and exhibits with me.

(Talking with a gentleman on a WWII Navy boat.)

I love how easily he makes furry friends.

(At a B&B we stayed at.)

I love how easily he can talk to people.

(His new best friend... since he shared some sake with him!)

I love how he brings me surprises.

(A glass snake he found in a leaf pile.)

I love how he gets excited about what I am excited about.

(Taken during the total eclipse in August 2017.)

I love how he enjoys the weather.

(High water crazy!)

I love how he comes with me to events, even if he's not interested.

(I don't mind him reading a book while I do my thing.)

I love his patriotism.

(Laying wreaths at Christmas time at the Veteran's Cemetery.)

I love how much fun we have together making box for Operation Christmas Child.

(At the drop off point last November.)

I love how he makes things fun.

("Serving" biscuits to the ladies of our EHC club.)

I love how he is just as much into Christmas tree hunting and decorating as I.

(This year's tree.)

I love each and every year we have shared.

Yes, I would do it again.