Soup's On!

Hello!
It has been a very busy week
for me ....
a funeral for a friend's husband,
lots of work,
some time at the gym,
doctor visits,
and here i am sporting
new purple sparkly glasses!!!

Two pair, actually ....
one for reading,
the other for driving.
I can't get used to the driving
glasses... I keep wanting to look
over the top (because I can't drive
with my readers on!!! lol )

With all that going on,
I felt in need of some
comfort food and found
this recipe for
"Tortellini Soup"
Simple,
warming,
and
delicious too!
(especially with some
buttered french bread!)

Pinhole, Again

“No one

saves us

but ourselves.

No one can

and no one may.

We ourselves

must walk the path.”

― Gautama Buddha,
           Sayings Of Buddha

Pinhole Photo

“I learned that in

each of us

there burns a

flame of independence

that must never be

allowed to go out.

That as long as it

exists within us

we cannot be destroyed.”

― Bryce Courtenay

Silhouette

“The greatest thing 

in the world 

is to know 

how to belong 

to oneself.” 

― Michel de Montaigne

Just some experimental shots
using pinhole photography
and my silhouette

Lovin' Outdoors

“Your naked body

should only belong

to those who fall in love

with your naked soul.”

― Charles Chaplin

Naked Time

“Oh no, is it naked time?”

― Ilona Andrews

Outdoors

there's something
so deliciously naughty
about being
naked
outdoors
in public places

New Angle

Sometimes, when you change the angle of the camera,

you get a different look altogether. 

i rather liked this one a lot! 

Good Vistas

because i worked 

Sunday - Thursday

today was my day off.... 

and as usual

i was off running some errands.

when they were done, 

on the spur of the moment

i decided i needed a day out

i love a good road trip!

and stopped along

the side of the road

to capture this vista

 “You can go 

as far as you think, 

imagine and dream. 

Anything is possible.” 

― Lailah Gifty Akita

Feelin' Groovy

“Everybody has something,

that one thing they must do to feel happy.

I think this is yours,

and I want you to be happy.

You don’t have to do it,

but it’s here if you choose to come back to it.”

― Ilona Andrews, Magic Bleeds





have you ever thought about

what makes you truly happy?

for me, its being creative

and when i've been away from it

for a while, it's like having a cold --

you just don't feel right inside!

Be Happy

Life is too short

to be anything

but happy.

― José N. Harris

Mudflap Girl

The mudflap girl is an iconic silhouette of a woman with an hourglass body shape, 

sitting, leaning back on her hands, with her hair being blown in the wind. 

The icon is typically found on mudflaps, clothing, and other items associated 

with trucking in the United States.  This famous design was created in the 1970s 

by Bill Zinda of Wiz Enterprises in Long Beach, California, to promote his line 

of truck and auto accessories. 

Who knew you'd learn something

from a chubby gal's artsy nude blog??

Just Bein' Me

"You are a beautiful creation

perfectly imperfect...

a work in progress...

you have everything you need

to fulfill your purpose...

don't dilute yourself for

any person or any reason...

you are enough... 

be unapologetically you."

~Steve Maraboli

just a lazy Friday for me

so i "un-assed" the couch

took Sadie for a walk in

the park first, and later

took myself off to the pool

for some time to relax. 

New Hat!

Ahh the joys

of a new hat!

Can't beat a

clearance sale....

$3.00  :)

Of course, i had to

show it off.....

and i'm chuckling

at myself,

in such a hurry to

snap a pic,

i forgot to remove

the store's hang tab!!

Black and White

Flipped this one into black and white

it just felt like it should be this way.

Stronger

“My past has not 

defined me, 

destroyed me, 

deterred me, or 

defeated me; 

it has only strengthened me.” 

― Steve Maraboli

Strong words, full of conviction

and most days i believe them.

i have such a checkered past

Nothing like breaking laws

or doing illegals things! 

and while i'm being honest

i should probably say that for

a while, my past DID define me.

being raised by religious parents

and midwest old fashioned values

one expectation was to marry well,

marry once and have it last forever.

But when it didn't last forever, 

it also didn't destroy me, 

and in spite of the mistakes i may

have made in my life,

i regret none of them.

For they brought me to the place

i am at right now.  Stronger.

We are all who we are because

of where we've been, and the 

people who have crossed our paths.

Be Yourself

“HOW   

do you define a word 

without concrete meaning? 

To each his own, the saying goes, so

WHY

push to attain an ideal state of being 

that no two random people will agree is

WHERE

you want to be? 

Faultless. Finished. Incomparable. 

People can never be these, and anyway,

WHEN

did creating a flawless facade 

become a more vital goal 

than learning to love the person

WHO

lives inside your skin? 

The outside belongs to others. 

Only you should decide for you -

WHAT

is perfect.”

― Ellen Hopkins, Perfect

long quote that i stumbled across

today as i was doing some reading.

In fact, i read through it twice

before i added it to the "save"

pile -- which of course grows

on a daily basis.

None of us are perfect

and who wants to be?

Be happy with who you are

and life will be that much easier.

Un-ASS the Couch

Reading Steve Maraboli on Saturday,

i came across one of his sayings.....

"un-ass the couch..."

so i did

headed for the pool,

a little reading

a little sun

a little swim

lots of relax

much better than ass-couching!

Today's Journey

“The beautiful journey of today 

can only begin

when we learn to let go

of yesterday.”

― Steve Maraboli

i was consumed by reading some quotes
this morning by Maraboli
his insights are sometimes marvelous
and sort of down to earth
and resonate within me.
i'm a no nonsense kind of do-er
if it needs to be done.
which is good.
and bad.
because what i am able to accomplish
in deeds
i lack in social aspects beyond
casual conversations.
But that's just who i am,
always have been.
and i am OK with it!

Find something New!

“Mirrors have three purposes. 

To show you who you are. 

To show you who you were. 

And to show you who you want to be.” 

― Dan Pearce

When you reach the point in life

where i have, a solid 55,

should you already know 

who you want to be?

Or are we a continuous

piece of work?

a life unfolding, ever changing,

bringing new things with each new day?

I like to believe that's true,

that each of us continues to strive

for something else, something new,

something that brings us peace, 

or joy, or happiness. 

Get out there, and find something new today! :)