Very Fluffy Cotton Candy Storm Clouds

So, you may see a theme here in summer. Nature. Man, is it a glorious thing. I had originally wanted to do a post about rain as art. But then I found myself taking photos of the clouds (again, I know). Today they were not ordinary rain clouds . . . they were spectacular rain clouds. Look at the wisps and curls, dark and light. I hate to say it, but I really feel sorry for the people who don't recognize the beauty that is nature. Driving past Walgreen's I just had the overwhelming urge to grab my camera and take this photo at the stoplight (you may see some sprinkles in the photo from my windshield).


Seriously, what could be cooler than towering clouds that look like giant piles of cotton candy? I am so very thankful that I am able to see these things. It never leaves me wondering what to do next. The art is always there, plentiful.

p.s. Thank you for indulging my creativity here as well. Saturating and curves and sharpening, oh my! Most of the time I don't, but this time I thought it added to the drama. :)

The Art of Cutting the Grass

It has to be done. It just does. Well, ok technically it doesn't, but at our house it does. Mowing the lawn. I remember last year we had maybe 2 inches of rain the whole summer? I think we cut the grass once a month . . . maybe. This year we've got some gorgeous, thick green stuff just begging for a trim. And Trent gladly obliges. He cuts it at a different angle each time. Seriously. The man is a lawn mowing pro (and shoveling . . . but that's for this winter). Quite meticulous. Mowing the lawn at our house is an art form. It's carefully cut, bagged, and hauled off on the rickety little trailer. So while you may see it as a chore, at our house it is art. Because when it's done, it makes the yard look like a masterpiece.

Sad Kitten

So, you may be wondering why on earth I think sad kittens are art. Come on now, I'm in advertising, people! Anything cute, furry, with long whiskers and a precious little "mew" is going to be considered art in my book. And seriously, how could you not recognize the absolute beauty in this tiny creature? His sad little eyes telling me he really would like to be set down. And then his cry for his mama. "Where are you mom?!" Ah, these little guys pull at my heart strings. Not to mention that my kids had a ball chasing them around my friend's yard, which makes me smile. Will we take one home in a couple of weeks? Hmmm. Debatable. Would we love to give them cuddles to make them not so sad? Definitely. :)

Vegetable Gardens

We have a little vegetable garden. And the fruits of our labor are seen here. There's not a lot, but what we have this year is thriving, gladly, seeing as how I am much more of a flower gardener (go figure, right?). The boys have been eating up the new pea pods on a daily basis, leaving a few skinny ones hanging for a couple more days before they get devoured. They never make it to the kitchen, but that was the intent anyway. The tomatoes are still green little ornaments that tempt the kids to pluck them off, but with a stern "do not touch that yet!", they leave them alone. And now seriously, did you think any garden I have wouldn't have a flower in it? At the far end of the garden, bases surrounded by pumpkin and squash vines, stand a few sunflowers. This is the first to bloom, not even fully open yet. So pretty. I love the varieties that have the gorgeous maroon streaks within the gold petals. But there I go again, talking all lovely about flowers. Enough of that! So the art today is vegetable gardening. Amazing how you can plant an ordinary seed into the earth and receive so much. Plain old miraculous and artful in every sense.

Weed-A-Palooza!

No excuses (other than it is an extremely busy summer—seriously). That's all I'm going to say about that.

I have a thing for flowers. And I am not biased. I like flowers even if they are considered weeds. Each and every photo shown in this post is a weed. My youngest son and I stopped alongside the road near our house last night and wandered down a dirt path. What I found, in my opinion, are some of the prettiest little beauties around. And even though they aren't in a landscaped flower bed, or in an elegant vase on a table, they still showcase themselves in a wonderful way. More people probably get to see these gems on a daily basis than other, more cultured flowers. Take the time to notice these "weeds" . . . they are art on display everywhere! You just need to look a little harder.

And a huge bonus. LOTS of images. :) Enjoy!