words of wisdom to ponder...

the starling

Where its hot
as a furnace
You won't find
Mr. Sturnus

You must travel
to Paris
to visit
Mrs. Vulgarus

Shiny and spotted
You will never embarrass
a starling with a name
like Sturnus Vulgaris

Do not disturb

The ginger cat
Woke up to a noise
He was not very happy
That his nap was destroyed.

He'd rather curl up
And be alone
And not be bothered
By the TV or phone
If he's distracted again
He will surely groan!



Would you think its absurd
If the cat had a sign saying
"d o n o t d i s t u r b" ?

inspired by poetry

The other night I was surfing blogspot and found these 2 poets. I'd like to "tag 'em" but I have to become more adept at HTML.









Check out:
FLOOTS
http://i-land-i-site.blogspot.com/
Mr.Paulk
http://laughingghosts.blogspot.com/

I wrote a litle kid book back in 2003. The 4 th graders at school really seemed to like it.
So!! Once a week or so I plan to blog a poem from my book. However, my poems are NOT deep and serious. More light hearted silliness :)

My amazing Mom

Milla with my daughter, Sarah in 1987


Today, my Mom would have been 78.
In 1998, my mother Milla died at age 68 in 1998 from a brain tumor. She was very sick for a year and I took care of her almost everyday. She was smart and beautiful.
Here are 10 amazing things about my Mom.
1. Milla was born in Serbia (Yugoslavia) in 1928. We really don't know if it was 1928 or 29 because the records were lost due to WW2. She didn't know her father... but we heard he was French.
2. Mom attended a convent school because of the war. She had also been forced to work on railroads with an organized group of kids during the war "effort".
3. Mom studied to be a doctor around 1948-52. She worked as a radiologist and nearly all of her colleagues were male. There were not many career women in 1950.
4. Milla was on the Yugoslav Olympic team in Helsinki Finland, in 1952.
5. At age 27, my Mom met my Dad, (Otto, an American with Norwegian parents). They were both on vacation on the coast of Croatia. They married within 10 days and settled in New Jersey, USA. They were married fror 42 years!
6. Milla and Otto had 3 children. My brother Rick in 1957, Nina (me!) in 1958, and my other brother John in 1963.
7. In 1964, we all moved to England for 10 years. We moved back to the USA in 1974. Milla loved playing bridge, travel, and was a "master knitter". She loved the city, especially London, England.
8. Mom was friendly, cheerful and affectionate. She loved colorful clothing.
She only had one grandchild, Sarah who is my daughter.
9. My Mom never worked as a radiologist again. She enjoyed being a home maker and mother of 3.
10. I still miss her terribly. She is buried alongside my Dad in Fairbanks Alaska, near to where my 2 brothers live. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM.

SUNDAY ART by Nina

If you like cats, today's your day!

My favorite place

THIS evening I fired up the burn barrel in my back yard. I have so many tallow trees (11) its not funny. I get a lot of dead limbs from over 17 mature trees on my property. (including oak and pecan tees) Tallow was introduced to Texas from China in the 1930s; they grew rampant and filled in the open prairies...... that's why the Texas prairie chicken is almost extinct. Tallows are now considered "rubbish trees".
I seem to collect skulls on my swing, I have many more skulls indoors. The swing is one of my favorite places for morning coffee and I can watch my chickens from there.
Diamond coyote likes the yard.

POEM

The towhead girl

Now slow and greying

Feel the turning of the wheel

Hear wolves baying.

I left my dark haired child

In the forest to run wild

Under the leaves I moulder

As my body gets colder.

She will find her way

Her dark eyes alight

I will stay and guide her

In the frost of the night

As her fire kindles

I turn to bone

While my fire dwindles

This grey eyed crone.

SUNDAY ART by Nina

As and artist, I draw what I love & I love birds. More art to come: every Sunday!

painting of skulls

Well, last Sunday Truvey and I wandered his ranch and found 3 of these. I am paintng them "standard southwestern" (but from my imagination of course) ... However, next time we'll wander his other ranch I am sure I will find many more cow skulls and will try some Celtic design. I also found a goat skull with very elaborate horns.. a very pagan symbol, I would say. That would warrant a painting using symblols from the book of chaos.

SUNDAY ART by Nina (a little early)

Subject of the week: ARCHITECTURE

Mayhem, trauma, drama and rescue

Today (and yesterday) have been crazy, my Momma hen's eggs have been hatching. This is a first for me and for her. Unfortunately, 4 chicks have been flattened, died, or eaten by other hens. I have ONE survivor called GOOBER and 3 remaining eggs which I have decided to incubate for the next couple days. This is all thanks to Truvey's help, my ranch friend and chicken person extroadinaire. Truvey had to help Goober be born, because he had been trying to get out of his shell for 20 hours and then was "slightly flattened" by marauding hens. Well, since Momma hen is still in maternal mode and had no chicks left, I ran to the feed store and I bought her 2 foster chicks.. and they have all bonded! So if all goes well, between now and Sunday night, she will be safe in her hutch for 3 (or so) weeks with 4 of her own chickens and 2 adoptees. I feel like a rather traumatized grandma! ( I think I look slightly demented in this pic~! )

SUNDAY ART by Nina

SUNDAY ART by Nina

Well, today's subject is farm animals. but I live in Texas so its mostly cows. I enjoy spending time at Truvey' s ranch.
ENJOY!

paintings on wood

The other day I was walking the dog and some neighbor had cut down a cedar tree and sliced it up. I picked up a few of the wood "slices" & decided to paint on them; I think I should put shellac on these.

SKULLS PAINTING

In the last couple days I have painted two cow skulls. THIS WAS FUN TO DO artwork!
I love skulls I have a few outside in my yard.. a small white tail deer, a goat and another cow skull with crooked horns.
Any offers? ; )

SUNDAY ART by nina

THIS SUNDAY'S SUBJECT IS LANDSCAPES. (check for hidden imagery)
1.Bridge at Mt Nebo
















2. The Tejas Crokkadillio"











3. Winter landscape in Alberta










4. John's house in Alaska









5. Fantasy drawing probably in England