[ ART GRRL ]

the 3 fridas

2011-08-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

The 3 Fridas show featuring three artists of Studio 109 is up through Wednesday, Sept. 21 at The Janette Kennedy Gallery at the lofts of South Side on Lamar. 1409 South Lamar Street. Dallas, TX 75215-1871.(214) 428-4848. Open Weekdays 9am-7pm; Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 1pm-5pm

Sold

2010-07-31T20:31:00.001-07:00

I sold two pieces yesterday! I have mixed emotions about letting go of my art ... I am happy that the paintings are going to new homes, but also very sad to let them go. The two pieces are, Autumnal:

and Burlap Yellow:

The Yellow Definitive

2010-07-29T07:00:00.001-07:00

My summer art show, The Yellow Definitive, with four other artists opens tomorrow night, July 30 at 6pm.

Studio 109 News

2010-04-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official: a few of us (about 5 or 6 artists) have formed an artist collective, which we have named Studio 109. I am working on updating the site this week, but you can see the beginning stages here. We are so excited about this new venture, and we are preparing for a big group show in the fall. More details to come!

From the Studio

2009-10-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

I added a few new pieces to my online gallery:

Noteworthy

2009-09-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Wow, I was blogged! I just came across this blog post about an art and coffee event with artlovemagic last month. Still trying to finish the painting, though.

Lentil Curry

2009-05-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

Cooked a modified version of the Lentil Curry recipe from The Classic 1000 Indian Recipes (Classic 1000 Cookbook)
for dinner tonight. Had to leave a couple of things out that I didn't have on hand, but it turned out pretty okay, I think. Definitely would make it again. Very similar to this one I found on recipezaar.com: Red Lentil Curry, except instead of the curry seasoning, I used a combination of turmeric, cinnamon, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic.

edited version below

Ingredients
1 cup red lentil (I used brown)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon oil or butter or margarine (for frying)
1/2 teaspoon mustard (didn't put in this one)
2 teaspoons prepared curry powder (or your own selection of curry spices. mine being 1 teas. turmeric, 3/4 teas. cinnamon, 2 bay leaves, dash of pepper)
1 teaspoon chili powder (not big into spice, so I skipped this one)
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup milk (skipped on this one, too)
1-2 cup water (actually, used 3 cups here)
1 can diced tomatoes
spices that should have been added but didn't: 3 cloves, 1/2" ginger root

Directions
1. Wash lentils several times. Boil in pot of 3 cups water with curry powder or seasonings for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pot and add chopped onion and garlic.
3. When onion is light brown in colour, add to the lentils.
4. Mix in can of diced tomatos.
5. Simmer until lentils are cooked, adding more water of needed.
6. (opt) Add milk about 5 minutes before removeing pot from the stove. Split peas can be used instead of lentils.

Makes 2-3 servings. Serve with rice.

Sicilian Lentil Soup

2009-05-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

1. Fry onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in olive oil.
2. Add 4-1/2 cups of water (or add a mix of broth and water to equal 4-1/2 cups), 1 cup of dry lentils, diced tomato, parsley, oregano, basil, turmeric. (opt: diced ham, bacon or chicken)
3. Cook for 30 minutes on medium-low.
4. Add 1/2 cup pasta and cook until tender.

Optional: stir in a handful of raw spinach and some parmesan cheese.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Try these, too:
Lentil Soup, Recipezaar.com #16662
Barley and Lentil Soup, La Cucina Italiana Magazine

Steamed Artichokes

2009-05-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Rinse artichoke and put in a pot. Fill water to cover lower half of artichoke. Cover and steam (medium heat) for about 20-25 minutes. Artichoke will be ready when you can easily pull of a leaf. Melt 1/4 cup of butter for dipping the leaves and soaking the artichoke heart. Enjoy!

Cobb Salad with Chicken

2009-05-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

A late night supper tonight ... this time it was Cobb Salad with Chicken

Dressing:
3/4 c olive oil
1/4 c vinegar
1 garlic clove, cut into very small pieces
1 teas. sugar
1 teas Worchestershire sauce
1 teas stone ground mustard
dash of pepper
couple squirts of lemon juice

Mix the dressing in a jar and shake well. Will keep for a week.

Salad:
· Romaine Lettuce
· Crumbled cheese, I had Feta cheese, used about 1/4 cup or so
· Grilled or precooked chicken pieces, I had leftover seasoned chicken
· 1/2 of an avocado, diced
· 5 or 6 cherry tomatoes
· an artichoke heart, because artichokes make anything better
· Cilantro and Parsley seasonings
· dash of salt
· Bacon bits, this probably would be better if you just cook some bacon and crumble over the salad
· a small handful of sesame seeds, for the additional crunch ... I just happened to have some on hand so I threw these in, but I don't think normal Cobb salads actually call for this.

Assemble the salad in the order that the ingredients are listed. Pour some of dressing on top. Serves one.

From the Studio

2009-05-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

As I am transitioning my web site off of Geocities, I added a couple of pieces to my collection. See them on my new site ...

Whirlpool

Ship on the Stormy Seas

Fort Worth road trip

2009-05-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

I took a short road trip to Fort Worth for the weekend to see my sis and her fam. Here is a random collection of shots taken during today's trip ...

FW, May 09

Project Read, Extraordinary Faith

2009-03-24T10:27:00.001-07:00

My sister loaned me her copy of Extraordinary Faith by Sheila Walsh, and she insisted that I read it. So, after much delay and procrastination, I picked it up the other day and began. I still have quite a ways to go before finishing it, but already it has been a good book, and here is quote that I wanted to write here and remember ...

On page xiv (yes, that's still in the Introduction chapter), Walsh refers to a quote from Charles Spurgeon, "It is not thy hold on Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee; it is Christ. It is not even thy faith in Christ that saves thee, though that be the instrument. It is Christ's blood and merit."

Anyways, there will be more to come, as I proceed further through the book ...

Other recent reads:

The Solitary Envoy T. Davis & Isabella Bunn ** :: I read this book more for the fact that it was a very light, easy read and set in one of my favorite time periods, the 1700s. There were some good messages in it.

Timeline, Michael Crichton **** :: why have I waited so long to read a Crichton book?! This book was excellent!!

Twilight, Stephanie Meyer ** :: Sorry to those who are fans, but I had a little trouble with the sappiness, naiveness, and excessive drama in the movie, and the book contained more of the same. Perhaps, the 2nd book will be better, but I am taking a break for awhile before continuing my journey though this series.

Various Recipes

2009-03-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've been experimenting a lot in the kitchen lately, mainly because I have an assortment of foods that need to be used and lots of lentils (hence the 3rd recipe and also because they are a good inexpensive source of protein):

*PASTA SOUP WITH CHICKEN*
(sopa de fideos con pollo)

ingredients:
1" pieces of spaghetti style pasta, salt, chicken, sugar, onion, garlic, parsley, celery seed, turmeric, ital. dressing, cilantro

1. boil chicken for 15 minutes to cook through, used 4 cups of water for this. dice chicken. add 4 more cups of water. bring water to a boil.
2. stir in pasta. add chicken, various veggies (broccoli, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, green pepper) and seasonings: salt, sugar, parsley, celery seed, turmeric, basil, italian dressing. all seasonings to taste, approx. 1-2 teas ea.
3. bring to boil. then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, ten minutes.
4. Serve with a garnish of cilantro.

*LEMON HERB RICE*
a good side dish for fish

Ingredients: Long Grain Parboiled Rice, Lemon Flavor, Sugar, Salt, Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, and Turmeric (for color)

1. Combine rice, 1-1/2c water, *seasoning-see ingred* and 1 T of margarine in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat (low, med-low), simmer 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, seat aside 5 minutes.

55 min | 15 min prep
Serves 3-4.

other suggested ingredients/recipe from Recipezaar.com #224188
1/2 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup vegetarian chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1 teaspoon marjoram

In saucepan, bring broth & lemon juice to simmer.
In heavy skillet heat oil. Add garlic and cook until softened.
Add rice & stir, cooking 1-2 minutes.
Add broth, salt & pepper and bring to boil.
Lower heat and simmer 30-40 minutes until all liquid is absorbed & rice is soft. (Note: Rice may take more or less time depending on temperature, so check periodically until done).
Remove from heat, stir in herbs & lemon zest. Add additional salt & pepper if desired.

*LENTILS AND RICE*
(a combo of Egyptian Koshary recipezaar #232836 with Spanish Rice recipezaar #140550)

30 min | 5 min prep
SERVES 6
1 cup lentils
1 cup rice

(probably should double the remaining ingredients next time)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
16 ounces canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup salsa
1/4 cup sliced green onion

1. Heat oil in a 2 quart saucepan, add lentils. Fry for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add rice and garlic until rice is lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. *maybe this step needs to be combined with step one.
3. Add broth, cumin, and oregano; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and cover tightly. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in beans.
6. Let stand until all liquid is reabsorbed, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in salsa (mine was homemade) and green onions (didn't inc this one, as it wasn't available at the time).

I thought these tasted good, but I will probably make some alterations for next and repost the new versions.

From the Studio

2009-03-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

I've recently made some updates to my web site, and have added a few paintings. See them online:

2008 Awards

2009-01-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

1) BUDDY OF THE YEAR?
my sis, Carolyn! and Michy and Mel and Helen and Spiwe and Millie and Faith and Meredith and ...

2) LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD (longest friend):
Megan, a little over two decades now ... wow!

3) NEWCOMER AWARD - COOLEST NEW FRIEND:
Angela!

4) HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR:
my birthday party with the girls and my dear niece at Patrizio's

5) LOW POINT OF THE YEAR:
waiting til the absolute last couple of days to train for a six-mile run for the white rock marathon relay in december ... very bad idea ... very bad

6) BEST HOLIDAY:
Christmas with the family all together

7) YOUR SONG FOR 2008:
August Rush's Rhapsody ... good stuff
Tied for that is Bluementhol by Iris Leu, or pretty much any of her pieces

8) MOVIE FOR 2008:
Hancock; one of the few I actually saw this year

9) WHO DID YOU SPEND VALENTINE'S WITH?
don't recall

10) BEST RELATIONSHIP:
all of them

11) WHAT WERE YOU FOR HALLOWEEN?
a hippie gal

12) RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR:
Shandiz Mediterranean Grill (Persian)

13) KISS OF THE YEAR:
Hershey's?

14) BEST DECISION MADE THIS YEAR:
taking a big leap of faith not too long ago

15) WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR?
go to Italy? I keep planning that .... one day hopefully

16) MOST STUPID IDEA WHEN DRUNK:
got nothing here

17) TV SHOW OF THE YEAR:
Chuck or Lost or The Office, hm, it's a toss-up

18) MOST LOYAL FRIEND:
they're all loyal or they wouldn't be my friends

19) BIGGEST CHANGE OF THE YEAR:
see no. 14

20) NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION:
the usual, I suppose:
get back to the basics
get my 5K times down
eat healthier
learn something new, perhaps a new song on the keyboard
spend more time in the art studio

Studio

2008-11-01T07:09:00.000-07:00

I've just added a new art piece to my online studio ... a painting I did at a recent ArtLoveMagic event in Dallas.

On The Run

2008-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Ran a 5K this morning with a time of 27:03, 8th in my age group. I was a little tired because I had taken allergy meds that morning, so I wonder if my time might have been lower sans the medicine. The weather was great, a touch of chill in the air and clear skies. The shirts were cool, and proceeds from the event went towards a group called Citizens Development Center, a nonprofit agency that exists to empower men and women with disabilities to achieve their highest level of employability and ultimately their highest level of independence.

On The Run

2008-08-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ran a 5K this morning with Faith. It was a smaller race. The course was extremely hilly, and it was fairly warm ... a very typical August morning ... there was a gorgeous sunrise, though. Time: approx 29:30, didn't get an exact time. Proceeds from the event went to help out a teacher and his family.

On the Run

2008-07-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ran another 5K this morning. Still extremely out of shape; what else is new? In fact, I was 13th in my age group. Time was approximately 29:06. (started late, but this turned out to be kinda cool since I spent the race passing other runners). We received some nifty tank tops AND a baseball cap; gotta love that! The Protective Animal League (PAL) was the beneficiary of this race.

Backyard in Bloom

2008-04-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

It's so beautiful outside with spring here. I'm so excited because my roses are in bloom. Though I am still having trouble with one that keeps getting yellow leaves ... possibly because of all the rain and it's just not as healthy as the other.

Here are pics:

And my dog, Allie, was getting jealous that I was paying more attention to the roses than to her so I got a couple of pics of her, as well ...

Your Linguistic Profile:

2008-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

65% General American English

20% Dixie

10% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Art Love Magic

2008-04-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

I went to one of the Art Love Magic events this weekend and I heard an amazing musician named Iris. She plays such beautiful pieces!! You can hear her online at www.myspace.com/irisleu

Also, several of my friends were doing live painting at this same event:
April event

Greek Chicken

2008-04-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Recently I ordered 'Greek Chicken' at a local restaurant, and it was so good that I decided to attempt to cook it myself ... even though I'm not really much of a cook. So, tonight, armed with a few different recipes, I was able to cook my own version ... and it tastes somewhat similar to the version from the restaurant. Here it is (next time I will probably wait and add the spinach after the chicken is finished baking. Also, you can use fresh spinach; all I had at the time was the frozen).

ingredients

2 Tbsp xtra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper
1 tsp of oregano
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of minced onions
1 piece of chicken breast, cooked
1 serving of frozen spinach, nuke for 2 minutes
a handful of black and green olives, whole or diced
1 serving of feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350º. If chicken is uncooked, then boil in pot of water covered for 12-14 minutes (I usually save the water for soup for another day). Cool.
2. Cut chicken into smaller pieces (or leave uncut) and put in a resealable bag. Add 1 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp lemon, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and onions. Shake to coat well.
3. Spread 1 Tbsp oil and 1/2 Tbsp lemon to grease a small glass baking dish. Add Chicken. Sprinkle more oregano, lemon, garlic and onions.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Add nuked spinach, olives and cheese. Cook for five additional minutes.
5. Serve with white (or seasoned) rice and broccoli, lightly sauteed with butter.

Serves one.

Baseball

2008-04-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my sister, I've become a huge baseball fan (though not as huge a fan as she is). And I am happy to report that baseball season is FINALLY upon us again. Anyways, here's a blog I found to track the Rangers (and yes, I am a devoted Texas Rangers fan).

http://mvn.com/mlb-rangers/

A Lot of Water

2008-03-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

Last night it rained a lot here. The parks by my house were completely flooded. I found this photo on one of our local news sites that someone took of a lake near my house. All the walking paths and the bridge were underwater.

On the Run

2008-03-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Ran the St Paddy's Day 5K this morning. There was quite a large turnout of runners clad in green. We were also attempting a race with Faith's jogger for the first time. Such the workout with a jogger!! Time was approximately 28:15. (arrived too late to get our chip timers for an official race time). The t-shirts were completely COOL!!

:: photos ::

2008-03-14T19:15:00.000-07:00

My niece put together a lovely bouquet ...
I took so many pictures of it!!

Treasures

2008-03-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." John 10:27-29

It Actually Snowed in Texas

2008-03-04T23:35:00.000-08:00

I am all astonishment!!

Texas Snow '08

On the Run

2008-03-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

I participated in a 5K this weekend with my running buddy Faith: the Tal Morrison Classic 5K. My time was 27:36, an 8:53 mile pace, and I managed to get a 3rd place medal ... woohoo!! The weather was so perfect, cool with a touch of mist in the air ... very refreshing.

my morning in pictures

2008-02-09T17:30:00.000-08:00

I spent the morning trying out the new camera.

We met a couple of friendly horses along the way.

On the Run

2008-02-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

Ran the DRC 5K race this month, Our first race of '08. Ran at about 30:00 (not sure the exact time, cuz we didn't arrive at the starting line until about a minute after the race had begun, thus too late to pick up our runner numbers. Oh well). Lots and lots of room for improvement!!

exciting news

2008-01-17T15:52:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! I just purchased my very first digital camera. I know, better late than never. So, stay tuned for images from my future photo expeditions!! Just need to learn how to use it first.

New Years in Colorado

2008-01-10T23:25:00.000-08:00

I spent a week near Wolf Creek, Colorado, recently with some friends. It was so beautiful and restful. Our rental cabin was sitting next to a frozen lake and we could see people ice fishing on the lake from time to time. And actually being in snow ... real snow ... was amazing! It was so deep, in some places the drifts were probably 2 feet deep! (which is probably not saying very much actually, but to me, a Texas girl, that's a pretty big deal! =)

On Reading

2007-07-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Desiring God blog had an excellent post today: On Reading

On the Run

2007-07-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

I ran another 5K this past weekend ... not because I'm in shape AT ALL ... but because I felt it might motivate me by seeing my horrendous time (29:27). I will try now to shave some minutes off of it!

On another note, I am delighted to report that my dear friend and faithful running buddy, Faith, has resumed running again!!

Things I Want to Accomplish

2007-05-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

After finding a similar list on another blog, I thought I'd make one of my own.

1. A painting. Or two ... or more. Most of the art sitting in my studio is unfinished, and I can't seem to bring myself to complete it. A very long artist's block I am having!
2. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro ... or another smaller venture first here in the States.
3. Become fluent in Spanish ... so much so that I can speak easily with someone else in their language.
4. ... And then move on to another language, like German or Chinese.
5. Read every book on my list. After discovering a couple of excellent book sites like goodreads.com and librarything.com and cataloguing all of my 'current reads' and 'ro reads,' I have determined I have at least 200 books on my 'to read' list.
6. Live for a least a year in a foreign country. Getting completely outside of your comfort zone is an amazing challenge and learning experience.
7. Visit Italy ... the Dolomites, Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Sicily ... see the art, take in the culture.
8. Start running again ... I have ceased completely ... not a good thing.
9. Completely redecorate my house ... or at least paint the walls ...
10. Become extremely adept at gardening, so I can know better how to take care of the plants in my yard.
11. Become equally skilled at photography. But first I need to invest in a better camera.
12. Learn something new ... perhaps how to knit or weave ... this might come in handy for future gifts!

art moment

2007-04-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

I went on an awesome road trip to the Texas National recently with my art buddy, Mel. Read about it on her post here.

On the Run

2007-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Ran first my 5K of 2007, clocked 27:29 and even managed to get a medal. Whoa! ... Will wonders never cease!

On the Run

2006-12-10T21:44:00.000-08:00

White Rock Marathon! (well, the relay anyways) Go teams!!

On the Run

2006-10-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Race for the Cure : We arrived just a little before the race began, but we were able to get through the enormous crowd to start close to the front. I'm amazed at how many people participate in this event. Clocked about 29:20 ... a little better than last time.

The shirts are super cool ... even with the pink.

On the Run

2006-09-30T12:08:00.001-07:00

Did my first 5k of the season at the State Fair 5K race. Clocked 29:49 ... eww!

Treasures

2006-09-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20

Treasures

2006-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Excellent Article!!!

2006-08-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/9c1/9c1034.html

Project Read

2006-08-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Finally! I have finished Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky ... an excellect book!!! *****

Also, another recent read that I must recommend is Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza. This was such a heart-wrenching book about a young woman who endured and managed to survive the conflict in Rwanda, though she lost most of her family. *****

Alaska '06

2006-08-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

Check out these pics from my trip last month to Alaska! =)

Alaska 06

Famous Words

2006-08-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

"I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." ~ Jane Austen

On The Run

2006-04-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

We ran the Heroes for Children 5K last Saturday. The weather was terrif, and the course was nice and flat ... smooth sailing. Clocked 26:49 (approx. 8:30 pace).

The overall winner of the race was a girl!! Woohoo! =)

Treasures

2006-04-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

"I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19

Project Read

2006-04-03T10:31:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins. Gosh, this book was so good; I'm now a huge fan of Collins.

My favorite character in this book was Marian Halcombe; she was a very strong-minded, intelligent woman ... so much so that at a few points during the story, her mind was considered 'manly'. I found that intriguing, but I suppose during that day, very little was expected of a woman. Quite the opposite is true of our culture today. Also, Count Fosco was such a fascinating character and served very well as the villian of the story.

Also, I recently completed Night by Elie Wiesel. I've read this one so many years ago and wanted to read it again. It is such a heart-wrenching story of his days in the concentration camps during WWII.

Cool Ride

2006-03-24T10:57:00.001-08:00

Another seriously cool car ... Lotus

Treasures

2006-02-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time." 1 Timothy 2:5-6

"Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Proverbs 30:4-6

An Artist's Thoughts

2006-01-09T09:01:00.001-08:00

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

~ Leonardo da Vinci

Treasures

2005-11-29T07:24:00.000-08:00

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

Cool Rides

2005-11-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

I've got a new favorite car: the 2006 Ford Mustang. Of course, it's still not as cool as the '65 model.

On the Run

2005-11-24T11:56:00.000-08:00

Ran the Turkey Trot this morning. The weather was perfect, so there was record turnout for the event ... I'm guessing the final count was close to 35,000. Because of the massive number of people participating in the run, I wasn't expecting any record times ... clocked 39:25 (a 13 minute pace?)

T-shirt was pretty nifty - and super neon!!

Project Read, The Sound of Us

2005-10-09T23:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight I finished reading The Sound of Us, by Sarah Willis. The storyline was fascinating, about a woman who goes through the process to take in a foster child. She first encountered this child one night when the girl wakes her up by misdialing her Auntie's phone number after her mother doesn't come home for a couple of days. I enjoyed Willis' writing style, especially the character development. And granted, it does make one stop to think more of all that's involved when a family takes in foster children, working to meet their needs and helping them to cope with their situation.

On the Run

2005-10-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

State Fair 5k

Ran our first 5K in over a year (gosh! has it been that long?) But we're determined to get back in shape for a couple of longer races later this year. The State Fair course changed ever so slightly this year and it started a bit later than it should have, but we did get to see some historic houses in Deep Ellum that I never knew existed before. (I'll have to go back). The weather was terrif! Time was 28:24, a 9 minute pace. (a small improvement from last year, but plenty of room for more progress to be made).

T-shirt ... I'll have to say I preferred last year's.

Project Read 2005 List

2005-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

I made a list on Amazon.com to help track what I've read and intend to read this year. Check it out: The '05 List

Project Read, The Testament

2005-08-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

My friend Lisa loaned me her copy of John Grisham's The Testament over a year ago, and finally I read it. My favorite part of the book was the lawyer's adventure in the jungles of Brazil/Bolivia in his quest to track down Rachel and Rachel's and his talks on the subject of God. How cool that Grisham used the character Rachel to share the Gospel!

Project Read, Jane Eyre

2005-08-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Received a copy of Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) from my dear friend, Mel, who highly recommended it after reading it late last year. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it very good, a bit dark and not at all what I expected. On the matter of the story being a dark one, I appreciate what Mel had to say about it: "It enhanced the beauty of the good things that happened."

Famous Words

2005-07-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

An Artist's Thoughts

2005-05-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

"My instinct about painting says, 'if you don't think about it, it's right.' As soon as you have to decide and choose, it's wrong. And the more you decide about, the more wrong it gets." ~ Andy Warhol

An Artist's Thoughts

2005-03-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ~ Pablo Picasso

A Current Favorite

2005-01-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

One of the songs on the Barlow Girl CD is Never Alone, probably one of their best, I think. A reminder that even when I feel completely alone; and I wonder if even God is there still, I know that He is there just as He has promised ... He will never leave me, nor forsake me. He is unchanging. He is omnipresent. He is the great I Am!

Even though I can't see Him, I still know He loves me and is right there with me.

"So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I'm never alone."

Barlow Girl

Project Read, The Spy Wore Red

2005-01-12T00:59:00.000-08:00

Interesting account of a spy during World War II ... and of course, I'm a big spy fan. Maybe I should go work for the CIA.

Treasures

2005-01-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God." 1 John 4:1-3

Project Read, Nighttime is my time

2004-12-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

Finished MHC "Nighttime is my time". Really good!

Project Read, Tuesdays with Morrie

2004-10-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

Decided to read this after Manning mentioned it in his "Ruthless Trust."

Treasures

2004-10-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT

Project Read, The House of Mirth

2004-10-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth" Ecclesiastes 7:4

This morning I finished another of Wharton's books, a bit depressing with the tragic ending, but still extremely good. Lily wants to have it all, but especially the life in high society, and struggles to afford it, thus leading to her downfall.

"Once--twice--you gave me the chance to escape from my life and I refused it: refused it because I was a coward." she tells Seldon.

Interesting Finds

2004-09-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

In Praise of Old Books (Charles Colson, Breakpoint)
Colson's Summer 2004 reading list

From Studio 109

2004-09-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've recently made some updates to my web site, and have finished a couple of paintings finally that I've been working on for the past couple of years. Visit the online gallery:

Two Sunflowers

On the Run

2004-09-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

State Fair 5K

After determining that neither of us was really ready for this race today, my running buddy and I decided we would just run incredibly slow, instead of sprinting at the beginning and losing the energy to run the race in it's entirety. Time 31:28. (we managed to finish without walking)

T-shirt is definitely cooler than last year's.

Project Read, Ruthless Trust

2004-09-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

Manning is a good author. Some gleanings:

"Live in the now-here. When you walk, walk. When you wash dishes, wash." Don't be spending that time thinking and worrying of all the bazillions of things you must do later. Just enjoy the walk, and trust that God has everything in the future taken care of.

p163- "In everything, give thanks [whether good or bad]." 1 Thes. 5:18

p178- "You will trust Him to the degree that you know are loved by Him." After experiencing Him, you come to love and then trust Him.

Project Read, The Great House of God

2004-09-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

Another great Lucado book!

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." Psalm 27:4-5, see also Psalm 23

"The best to be is at home with God, never to leave ('pray without ceasing' 1 Thess. 5:17). Worship instead of worry. Let His grace flow through you to forgive, etc."

"So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ--that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." Colossians 3:1-2, MSG

"As long as our eyes are on His Majesty there is a bounce in our step. But let our eyes focus on the [path] beneath us and we grumble about every rock and crevice we have to cross. We become sullen and selfish."

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

Project Read, Ethan Frome

2004-08-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to try one of Wharton's. Very well-written.

Project Read, Twanged

2004-08-13T23:27:00.000-07:00

On the Run

2004-07-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ran a 5K today benefitting the Christian Care Center.

Clocked 26:42
:: had a long seemingly unending hill for the third mile
Nifty Tshirt =)

Project Read, In the Grip of Grace

2004-07-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

Took awhile to find the time to finish this one. But a very good one of Lucado's!

Project Read, Decked

2004-07-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

I feel the sudden urge to go on a cruise!

Project Read, Pemberly

2004-06-27T20:08:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting take on what might have occured to Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had Austen continued their story with a sequel.

Project Read, The Old Man & the Sea

2004-06-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this one. Hemmingway has my vote!

Project Read, Long Fatal Love Chase

2004-06-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

One of Alcott's lesser known works (at least to me).

Project Read, Iced

2004-05-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

Decided to try CHC. Not as good as MHC, but a fun & quick read.

Project Read, Stillwatch

2004-05-20T21:36:00.000-07:00

Finally finished this book. I love MHC, but this particular one I had to keep rechecking to find time to finish.

A New Addition

2004-05-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

This is my very first weblog!

It will be interesting to see what transpires ...