Memory of The Good Shepherd Home IV

This post is about Lupe. I did not know Lupe, but was assigned her bed the day I arrived at Good Shepherd. She had died and was resting outside my window in the cemetery. She had spent most of her life at this home and sadly knew no other life. When I went back there some years later, the nuns had sold the home and some developer turned them into condos. When I asked about the cemetery the manager told us that it had been moved elsewhere. Strange, but true.

Deconstruction: The cemetery, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and window are all vintage images. There are six layers, with one layer mask for the window/cemetery. It is Grayscale. There was one filter, accented edges.

I've been tagged by Sue O'Kieffe
Here are THE RULES:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog

• I was raised in the beautiful Pecos Valley of New Mexico
• I am recently retired (again) after a few lifetimes of writing computer programs
• I love animals, all kinds of animals!
  
• My best friend, Linda, had a liver transplant about 10 years ago and is doing great.
  
• Spring is my favorite season and I am eagerly awaiting the first violets.
  

I tag Lisa Sarsfield, Belinda (Bell's Nook), Rima (Marazine), Neda (Papiers Colles) and Nita
(Red Tin Heart)

Memory of The Good Shepherd Home III

This 3rd memory of the Good Shepherd Home represents the celebration of Feliz Navidad, the Mexican Christmas season. I wanted to post this on Christmas Day but my memory of Christmas took awhile to recall the details, after all it was over 50 years ago :)

I will be very happy to read your comments so please share! I'd also like to thank Sweet Irene for the Courageous Blogger Award which is posted in my siderbar. I really don't feel very courageous but do feel a sense of healing when I make art from these old memories.

Deconstruction:
The digital collage was made using photoshop 5.5. There were 17 layers and one "apply image, difference" was used to give the building a bluish cast. It finished out with 5 layers. The image of the building comes from dreamstime.com ($2). The little girl and the pinata came from the Library of Congress, the other girl and the nun were vintage images as is the blessed virgin who came from an old holy card.

If you want to know more about Feliz Navidad there is a good article at mexconnect.com
while you can find out about the pinata at wikipedia.com.

Abstract Apply Image I

I can't take credit for this wonderful abstract. I have to thank Debi, for pointing this out and describing how to do it in photoshop, and John for sharing your technique step-by-step. If you haven't seen John's works click here for a delight. John would call this image hand.keet.fox.tree.

Memory Of The Good Shepherd Home II

This memory is from the days I spent at Good Shepherd Home in Mesilla Park, NM in 1955-56.
One of my jobs was to fetch the meals every day. This was a job I liked very much as my friend, Maryjane, and I got to go to the kitchen and bring the food back to our dormitory's dining room where other girls would have jobs setting the table and dishing up the food. The kitchen nuns were Little People and very fun and we loved to talk to them and watch them work. They would fill our pot with pinto beans mostly, but sometimes with carne de cabeza with vegetables. For breakfast it was always oatmeal.

I'd love to hear your comments about this digital collage, or about this memory or one of yours if you would care to share.

Young Woman Memory (Hold/Value)

I can't think of a better subject for hold/value than a mother holding her darling child in her arms. There is no love which can compare to the love a mother feels for her children, it is a love that transcends all. I'd love to hear your expressions of love for your mother, or for your child.

If you haven't done an art project for for 2 things challenge, you still have until Dec. 19th to do one and get a free bonus charity donation through the generosity of two bloggers. Click here to find out more and see what it is all about!

Spring Wind Memories

When I was a child I used to love to put my pillow on the window sill and listen to the wind howl over the prairie through out the night. I still love the wind. I love the way it lifts and blows my hair, the way it feels so fresh on my skin. The sound it makes as it whistles around the house and the way the trees bow down to it. I'll be thrilled if you'd leave a comment and tell me about your memories of wind.

Doe Mandala

I had a very stress filled day. I managed to get into a small conflict at work which always upsets me when I let myself do this. Next as I left work I noticed a trash pickup truck spewing trash all over the road, so I followed him to his next stop and let him know what he was doing. He said "sorry 'bout that", but somehow I didn't feel that he was sincere. Then I went to Best-Buy to pick up a new router for my home network and they were playing the music that just thumps and hurts your ears. I complained to the manger, who justified it by saying we only do it when a customer requests it...(saying this as other customers were vacating the store, go figure!). Then I came home and installed the new router, but could not get one of the computers to recognize the wireless connection. Consequently it was late when I laid down late for my nap, then later I got up grumpy. So there...that was my day and I feel better now having complained and whined. I think I brought most of this stuff on myself.

So...I made a mandala and know what? The stress is all gone now and I feel great! Hope your day was better than mine :)

Memory Of The Good Shepherd Home

In the courtyard stood
The lonely cottonwood
Bare branches chattering in the wind

Except
For one small twig
Nestled beneath the eaves
Giving forth the first yellow green
leaves of spring

~Bobbie Wideman 1955-56
Good Shepherd Home, Mesilla Park New Mexico

Breathing Underwater Dream

This is my favorite recurring dream. I have dreamed this over the years. I am swimming and having a wonderful time. I get tired of having to stop for air and I suddenly discover that I can breathe underwater. I love to swim, I always have and so this is the best of the best :)

I dedicate this image to Hala, Rima's niece who is in London being treated for cancer. She has issued another challenge, so go to her blog and see what it is. Let's participate and have a gay old time.

As always I'll be looking forward to your comments. And please notice that I put a comment of my own on the last post (believe it or not!)

Mountain Keeps Moving Dream

This is a recurring dream since childhood whenever I am very ill. I am in the desert and it is very hot and dry. I am trying to find a way out. I walk towards the sun and a mountain appears. I try to walk around it, but it moves into my path again, I try to go over it but it is too steep. In frustration I give up and go back in the opposite direction where the mountain appears again. I wish to understand it better and so I'd love to read your comments.

Jesus Saves Me Dream

I had this dream when I was a child during the time I was making my First Holy Communion and learned of the "End of the World" which frightened me out of my wits. I dreamed that Jesus came down from the firey sky to our house and offered me a cherry saying "Eat this and you will be saved".

Fish Swimming In The Forest Dream

This is one of my favorite dreams. Imagine my delight when I dreamed this right after we purchased our land and moved out here. The fish just swam in an out between the trees as if they had always been doing that :)

Music Dream

I had this dream many years ago but still remember it clearly. I am alone in a hospital room and from far away I can hear a piano being played one note at a time. It seems very lonely and sad. Of course, I'm dying to know what you think my dream means!

Here are the answers to Neda's tag:

1. If you owned a bookstore, what would you name it?
I am retired now, I don't want to own anything. Just a begging bowl will do.
2. Which literary hero (male or female) would you like to be?
Pearl S. Buck. I'd love to have lived her life.
3. If you were given the chance to be born in a different decade, which one would you choose?
I'd go back to the 1700-1800's when this country was new.
4. Who would play you in a movie?
Sally Field, she has the right amount of spunk.
5. What was your favorite toy of all time
My paper dolls.
6. What do you like to collect?
Beauty. A beautiful leaf, pink in the sky, a moonlit night.
7. What is your guilty pleasure?
A bowl of popcorn in bed with my two doggies begging for bites.
8. If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would that be? No more war.
9. What is the worst book/movie you have ever seen?
Ahhh...there are so many, so little time, so little space here.
10. What is the worst kind of music, in your opinion?
I like most anything if it is not ear shattering.
11. What's the only food you will not eat?
I know there must be something, somewhere that I wouldn't at least try.
12. Tell us 3 things about yourself (2 of them are true, and 1 untrue) and let's see if we can figure out which of these is fantasy.
I climbed the pyramids, age 30
I climbed the Sacramento Mountains at Three Rivers, age 40
I climbed Machu Pichu, age 60




I tag Audrey, Antigone, Barb, Debi, Rima, Irene, Bev, and anyone else who wants to be tagged.

Rattlesnake Dreams Collage

I hope this dream doesn't shock you too much. At least not anymore than it did me when when I dreamed it. I've dreamed of snakes for most of my adult years and dislike these dreams intensely. I usually wake up sweaty with my heart pounding in fear. But this recent dream was different because I actually captured the beast and flung it into the woods. I'll be most interested to hear your interpretation of my dream.

For those who wonder: I used digital clip art to make this collage in Adobe Photoshop. The collage is my own idea using pasted and embellished clip art, except for the moon and background swirl which I "drew".

Chinaberry

My sister Audrey and I used to play under the Chinabery tree when we were little and used the berries for all sorts of play things. I still love this tree, even though I am finding out it is on the invasive species list.

Dreams and Visions II

This image represents the second dream/vision I had soon after the first. After this one there were no more, but I do hope that someday I will have another. I hope you will take the time to tell me what you think that this dream/vision means as I would be very interested in what you have to say.

Dreams and Visions

A few years ago I had a couple of "visions". I may have been dreaming, but I don't think I was. I was in a very drowsy state having woken up just before dawn and this is my attempt to show you what I saw in the first vision. The image rotated clockwise, but the animals were running counter-clockwise. I would be most interested in what you make of this dream/vision.

Experiment In Gray

This is an experiment making a lotus mandala. It was pretty difficult but I am hoping that it has promise as a template for making a colored mandala. There are a few rough edges, but it has a lot of hand drawing on it. What do you think?

Green Feathery Weed

I love this green feathery weed and have actually let it grow in my flower garden once. It looks great all summer, sort of ferny, then in fall it gets these whitish flowers that look so lacy. I have camera in hand waiting for autumn color but I don't think we will have much year as there has been very little so far.

We got out dogs houses and chicken/guinea coops ready for winter this past weekend, we still have more to do but are closing in on it. I have special heating pads that fit inside the dog houses and thermostat cubes that cause them to come on when the temperature gets down to 45 deg. so they stay nice and toasty. The chickens/guineas have heat lamps on cubes but I'd like to find something that safely gives off good heat but does not disturb their sleep. dh is hatching some late guinea eggs from a nest and so we will have winter babies to keep warm too.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

This mandala is made from a photo of the seed pod of Sweet Autumn Clematis Clematis terniflora which is a fall blooming clematis. It is a cultivated plant, originally from Japan that which has long since escaped to the wild. But you can't deny it's beauty, both flower and seed.

Wishing Hala Health

Hala, I just want to wish you Health, Happiness and Love before you embark on your journey to seek treatment in the U.K. God bless and keep you.

Hope Abides

I took this picture at my work today where we have a patio that is a little micro climate and butterflies seem to love it there. This Gulf Fritillary is feeding on Lantana. I enjoyed taking this photo and doing this mandala. It was a very centering activity for me. Later after reading the post on Frances' blog about John I added this message especially for him and his family.

Banner From Neda

I received this beautiful banner from Neda of Papiers Colles for my contribution to Maraya Galleries wall dedicated to Blog Action Day when all the bloggers wrote about the environment on Oct. 15th. I love being called an artist even though I am more of a wannbe. Thank you Neda, I treasure this banner.

Silk

This is something new I tried after reading Mandala, Journey to the Center, Baily Cunningham. I think the results have promise but the points are just a little heavy looking. Tell me what you think, honestly please. When I fell asleep last night I was dreaming mandalas and collages :)

Blog Action Day Oct 15th 2007

This is my entry for Rima's Wall of works commemorating Blog action Day.

We must change! We cannot continue trashing our planet like we did in 1957 when folks had never heard the word "environment". Back then DDT was sprayed regularly and no one gave it a second thought. Our manufacturing was dirty and polluted the air. Cities were grimy. Nuclear bombs were built and tested in my home state of New Mexico. But this is not 1957, still we have the same environmental issues as back then and more. Here in the Longview, Texas area we have regular ozone alert days, especially in the hot summer. It is always blamed on the gulf winds bringing pollution from Houston and Dallas. We take no responsibility for our bad air and make no noticeable change to improve it.

I've been posting early blog action day posters (here and here ) and you might wonder where I got such great images to use. Sadly I got them within walking distance of my home. Some, such as this photo, taken on my own property. I regularly clean up my road frontage and it is a constant battle between me and the non caring public. I have picked up such a variety of stuff, some I won't mention here, but is mostly beer bottles/cans, cigarette packages, and fast food packaging. When I was younger I picked up trash in a 2 mile radius, but now I only clean my property and adjacent properties about 1500 feet on both sides. Sometimes I ask myself why I continue with this battle and my answer is that I care. I also ask myself how can I help others to care. So far I haven't found an answer but have explored many hair-brained ideas :)

So, I am asking others to care about our world. To cease treating our planet like it is disposable. To stop making war on our neighbors and killing the environment and people at the same time.

We must change, we can change, we will change!

Pioneer

I was inspired by Frances' digital image "old house by the sea" and thought of doing something which had that same sort of feeling of reminiscence. My inspiration was my old home in New Mexico. The old adobe window frame, the quilt, the pioneer woman, remind me of that time. I felt as if I were making a collage. My scissors are the cut tool and my glue is the paste tool, and my color pallet is accessed by dipping an ink dropper instead of paintbrush. So, here is a question for you: If a collage is made from clips from old magazines and this is made from clips of digital images, what is the difference? Are digital images art? Why or why not? What defines art versus craft? I'll be most interested to read your answers.

I am most like Kitty Which Chimp Are U?

HSUS MySpace Page | Take the Quiz!

Kitty is the leader of the three chimps at Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch right here in Texas. She's serious and in charge of what happens with the group. She'll quickly quell any behavior she deems inappropriate.

Kitty is also a big fan of trading. If she has something she shouldn't, she's usually willing to trade it for something else. Kitty is deliberate and does not engage in frivolous behavior, nor will she waste energy doing something that won't result in getting what she wants. She seizes opportunities to act, but sometimes hesitates to try new things.

Kitty was rescued from the now-defunct Coulston Foundation in New Mexico, where she was used to breed chimps for medical research. Her laboratory caretaker feared that once Kitty was too old to reproduce, she might be subjected to experimentation herself, so she worked to secure Kitty's transfer to a sanctuary. Now, Kitty's laboratory days are behind her forever -- but not all research chimps are so lucky.

Take the quiz and find out which chimp you are most like :)

Morning Glories

My mom used to grow these in her backyard and now I grow them. She was a child at heart and would use them to blow bubbles by breaking off the stem. I have to admit that sometimes I blow bubbles too. They are just so pretty floating over the garden.

Backyard Happenings

The Piney Woods Where I Live

I live in the Piney Woods of East Texas and so it is appropriate to attempt a mandala using a picture of pines. I was surprised, as almost always, how beautiful the mandala turned out. Not complementing my work you understand, but in complementing the pine's inner beauty which produced this wonderful mandala. When the wind blows through them it makes the most wonderful whooshing sound as they sway back and forth. The squirrels love to eat the pine nuts and sometimes I find huge piles of spent pinecones where they have dined. I hope this pine speaks to you as it did to me while I was making this mandala.

Goldenrod And Why I Love Nature

The wild goldenrod is blooming now and it is one of my favorites. It is so lacy and free and it's yellowness appeals to me. I've included the source image here to satisfy your curiosity. One can never make a mandala without meditating on the soul of subject. This one has the essence of goldenrod stored in it's turns. I love seeing each season progress and the delights nature has in store. I never tire of nature, it renews me and invigorates me. And so I dedicate this mandala to Hala and wish for her the essence and health of the goldenrod's soul.

Getting a Headstart on Blog Action Day

This is a photoshopped picture of my woods in East Texas. Looks wonderful and serene doesn't it? Like the hand of man has never touched it. But when we bought this property I single handedly picked up 9 dumpsters of trash out of these woods. Even today it continues to be an uphill battle. Beer bottles, fast food wrappings, and yes even disposable baby diapers (what are mommies thinking?). It is like seeing a pile of litter gives you permission to throw out your own. I care, do you?

p.s. I reworked the text on this image at Sue's suggestion and voila! What do you think?

Mandala Mania

This mandala is made from the above (bad) photo of a yellow sulphur butterfly and cypress vine which is threatening to take over the covered wagon filled with caladiums that you see in my blog header. The butterflies and hummingbirds love the vine and so I've let it take over. If anyone wants cypress vine seeds (while supply lasts) just email me your address and I'll send them as soon as they are ready to gather, which should be in the next month or so.

Still Nuts About Mandalas

This mandala is made from a picture of some chrysanthemums by my door. I'm enjoying making these very much and took some photos today on my way to work of some wildflowers and grasses that I will try to turn into some mandalas. I ordered two mandala prints from Sue O'Kieffe and received them earlier this week and wow, they are absolutly wonderful! I got the lacy one called We are all Connected and another one called Releasing To The Four Directions.

The Game of Tag About Your Man

I have been tagged by Antigone of a little bit of country and Windy of Everything Hannah
about my man. Well here is a photo so you get an idea of my dh. I think he is very handsome!

So I'll start with Antigone's tag first (I think she makes these questions up)

1. Who is your man? Bill, otherwise known as dh

2. How long have you been together? 24 years

3. How long dated? it was love at first sight, only 3 months!

4. How old is your man? 60 (he is younger than me, tee hee)

5. Who eats more? dh does, after all he is 6ft tall

6. Who said "I love you" first? he did

7. Who is taller? same answer as Antigone: ha ha ha, who isn't taller than me?

8. Who sings better? he does and he has a beautiful baritone voice

9. Who is smarter? we can be equally smart or equally stupid depending on what we are doing

10. Whose temper is worse? mine, mine, mine. It is a curse!

11. Who does the laundry? i mostly do, but sometimes he does

12. Who takes out the garbage? we share

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? me

14. Who pays the bills? me, again

15. Who is better with the computer? me, but he is learning and catching up

16. Who mows the lawn? whoever has time

17. Who cooks dinner? we share depending on who has time, but he is the better cook

18. Who drives when you are together? whoever feels like it

19. Who pays when you go out? dh does, what a gentleman!

20. Who is most stubborn? i am, sorry to say

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? me

22. Whose parents do you see the most? oh how i wish we could see our parents again

23. Who kissed who first? he kissed me, then i kissed him back!

24. Who asked who out? he did but I didn't want to go, more about this later

25. Who proposed? he did and i was overjoyed!

26. Who is more sensitive? we are both too danged sensitive

27. Who has more friends? we both have about the same number of friends

28. Who has more siblings? he does, 3 brothers and 3 sisters

29. Who wears the pants in the family? we share

Now for Windy's tag "How did you get engaged":

We met where we both worked in Odessa, Texas at OPI a manufacturing company that made oilfield equipment. He was the service manager and I was a computer programmer. His office was near the coffee pot and whenever he saw me go by he needed a cup of coffee. It got so I needed coffee more often too. OPI had a big Christmas party and he took another girl there, later on he told me "let me take her home and then we will go dancing". I said, No! What kind of girl do you take me for? But later on a bunch of us decided to go dancing and so he took her home and showed up there. He looked so handsome in his western boots, cowboy hat, and sheepskin jacket and so after he asked me to dance about 15 times I said ohhhhkayyy as I could see he was a really nice and sincere man. We had so many things in common and enjoyed each other's company so when he asked me to marry him, I could only say yes!


Now, the fun part: I tag Irene, Frances, and Rima!

Update on Make a Mandala-Annoying Lines

How perfect is this? No annoying lines and no extra work airbrushing, thanks to, Sue O'Kieffe who has generously given us the answer to this mystery!

So simple and easy to do. It involves expanding the selection by 1 pixel. Clever woman! I am updating the original instructions to include this, so please use the updated instructions on the Make a Mandala post. Be sure to check out Sue's Photoshop Tutorial today!

Make a Mandala-Updates Are In Blue Text

I've been so inspired by Sue O'Kieffe's mandalas and have made some humble attempts at creating one of my own. Sue has generously supplied the answer to removing the dividing lines by expanding magic wand by 1 line. These instructions are updated per her valuable input. I've had several people ask me about how I make a mandala so I decided to post it here.

Template:Source:
Et voila! here is my mandala which I dedicate to Sue who says: "I think it's important to develop your own vision with the mandalas, and to follow your heart in what you create. I am learning that that is the essence of *talent*."

Thank you Frances and Debi for testing these instructions. There may be an easier way to do this, but here is what I do:

1. First save the first two images above, the first as source.jpg and the second as template.jpg.

2. Open Adobe Photoshop

3. Select the magic wand

4. Window, show info,options, tolerance 20-25, check contiguous, use all layers

5. Open template.jpg and save template as mymandala.psd

6. Open source.jpg

7. Select window, tile

8. Select mymandala window

9. Use magic wand to select the top center left slice, then select, modify, expand by 1 pixel.
   

10. Drag the slice to your source image

11. Arrange it to pick up the area that you like, edit, copy

12. Make sure your top center left slice on mymandala.psd is selected with the magic wand, then select, modify, expand by 1 pixel, paste into
    

13. Image, rotate canvas, flip horizontal

14. Repeat step 12 one time, then go to step 15

15. Image, rotate canvas, flip vertical

16. Repeat steps 12-15 one time

17. Image, rotate canvas, 90 degrees cw repeat steps 12-16

18. Close source.jpg, save changes no

19. Activate mymandala window, select background, turn off layer (remove the eye), layer,merge visible

20. Save mymandala.psd

Congratulations, you have made a mandala! To finish use your Photoshop tools and enjoy!

A very important message

U.S.A. visitors please click here to sign The Humane Society of the United States' pledge to stop animal fighting or Canadian visitors click here. This is such an important cause for the animals and for society as a whole. These faithful friends, our animals, deserve more from us! Let's pledge to never mistreat any animal!

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by Frances where she says:
Name four places you have lived.
Four foods you like.
Four places you have been on vacation
Four places you would rather be.




1. I've lived in New Mexico, New Hampshire, Lebanon and Egypt. I was born in Mississippi. I've lived in 9 different states, in 3 different countries, and in over 100 different houses. Amazing huh?
2. I love lobster, crabs, chili rellenos, and right now with the pears ripe on my tree, pear crumble. (I'll be posting the receipe on thebluebirdcafe soon)!
3. Padre Island, Texas USA; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico;New Mexico; Well mostly I just work and stay around home.
4. My garden, Strolling on a beach, Three Rivers NM, Right here in my home sweet home, I like it here.

Debi, You have been tagged!

Wishes For Hala

Hala, I hope you had a good day today and that God continues to bless you with light, healing, courage and recovery. These flowers are some Mexican Hats from my flower garden.

What Kind Of Flower Are You?

I am a Sunflower What Flower Are You?

This was a fun quiz and honestly I thought I was a sunflower. Maybe I am!

Nice Matters and An Apple For Teacher

I am passing on both of these awards to Sue O'Kieffe Of Sacred Circle Mandalas. Sue has given so much of herself through her encouragement and Photoshop tutorials. The screen shots with annotation makes the steps so clear and easy to understand. And when she notices that I have posted a photoshopped image and stops by to make a comment it warms my heart and gives me encouragement to make yet another image. Thank you Sue!

Pale Leather Flower Photoshop Practice

Just for fun I Photoshopped these two images from my practice using Sue O'kieffe's quick mask tutorial, one using the filter sphere, and the other creating a Mandala. I think I am getting better, step by step, lesson by lesson. I love creating stuff with Photoshop. So much fun!

In answer to the questions about what flower: It is the Pale Leather Flower, or Clematis Versicolor. A very nice vine that grows in the wild on my land. Click here for further description.

Apple For Teacher Award

I am honored to receive the An Apple For Teacher Blog Award from dear Frances of A Carpet Full Of Holes Blog. This is my favorite award that Frances has designed. I love the red color and the two images with the dark background. Thank you, Frances and hugs!