Photo Friday - Blue

Yellowstone Lake - Yellowstone National Park - August 2014
The big blue sky over the lake and the wonderful reflection - lots of "blue" going on here.

Photo Friday - Depth of Field

From the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.

I focused on that little ladybug and the ocean made a beautiful backdrop

Photo Friday - Park

This past summer we went to Yellowstone "Park". There we saw LOTS of buffalo. This one on the left decided to "park" his butt on the road, which slowed down traffic for miles. 

Photo Friday - Tiny

Look how tiny the people are when you look down from the top of a castle!

Blarney Castle - Ireland

When I Die...

Some of you know that I sing in a Christian community choir. We have been practicing a song by Keith Getty and Margaret Becker that I love. It has an Irish kind of sound to the music which is wonderful, but the words are so great too.  The name is "Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer (May This Journey)". After we sang it this week I told Bill I want this read or sung at my funeral.

Jesus draw me ever nearer

as I labor thro the storm

You have called me to this passage

and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing; 

may I rise on wings of faith.

And at the end of my heart's testing, 

with Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus, guide me thro the tempest; 

keep my spirit staid and sure. 

When the midnight meets the morning, 

let me love You even more. 

May this journey be a blessing, 

may I rise on wings of faith.

And at the end of my heart's testing, 

with Your likeness let me wake.

Lord draw me ever nearer!

Let the treasures of the trial

form within me as I go.

And at the end of this long passage

let me leave them at your throne.

May this journey be a blessing, 

may I rise on wings of faith.

And at the end of my heart's testing, 

with Your likeness let me wake.

With Your likeness let me wake.

And if you can get my ashes to Ireland, spread some at Glendalough!

Photo Friday - Blur

I like this blurred picture - and the unblurred star that means a lot ot me.

Photo Friday - Falling Apart

I loved the monastic ruins at Glendalough, Ireland.  This is a part of an arch that was in the cathedral, which is now just a shell. By the zigzag pattern they could tell that there was a Roman influence in the building of the cathedral.

My Ireland Adventure

Patti and I at St. Stephen's Green - a big park in Dublin

About 9 months ago a friend of mine asked if I would like to go on a big trip with her. She is single and needed a travel companion. Of course I said "yes!" We decided we'd go for a week to Ireland. We wanted to go with a tour company because we figured 2 women in a foreign country, driving on the wrong side of the road made for a bad combination. We booked the tour through a travel agent and that might have been a mistake. We had some bad flight connections, some hotel issues, and some frustration with "promises" made by the tour company, but in the end, we did have a wonderful time. We had another friend join us and picked up a 4th who had traveled to Ireland alone. We did most things together and that worked out well.

The 4 of us ladies - Tana, Patti, Me and Tish

We stayed in Dublin, Ennis, Killarney, and Waterford, but we saw most of the towns between them all - there were a lot!  I would recommend the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis - it used to be a convent and is a really neat building with an excellent pub.  I also liked the Granville Hotel in Waterford. It was also very old but had great food and service. The others were so-so, but all the beds were comfortable - probably because we walked our butts off every day and were too tired to notice! I didn't think we ever had enough time in each place and would love to go back and see more of everything.

Here are some highlights of the trip:

In Dublin we went to see the Book of Kells at Trinity College - that was very cool. We also went to the Dublin Castle, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church. All were amazing. My pedometer said we walked 15,000 steps that day. We also did a lot of shopping there.

Dublin Castle on the inside of the walls

Christ Church



St. Patrick's had the best stained glass windows!

My favorite place was the Blarney Castle. I hiked up the stairs to the top but I refused to kiss the stone. It was gross! I figure I have enough gift of gab without the help from a slimy rock. The views up there were spectacular and I got some great pictures. My friends were lots of fun and we were not above goofing off a lot. Photobombing was my favorite. 


Tish and I



Patti and I

Looking down from the top of Blarney Castle

Where the Blarney Stone is - you can see them at the top center of this picture.
You have to lay on your back and hang your head over a big hole
while someone holds you there - and collects your euros. Blech!

My second favorite was the Cliffs of Moher. There is a great view of the cliffs and there is a castle on the hill at the top. Since it was Saturday morning and I couldn't do my bike riding I ran up the stairs. there were a lot of them! My friends didn't. I guess my cycling and gym workouts have helped me stay fit.

Our bus also took a 100 mile trip around the Ring of Kerry. As part of that we had to ride the ferry across the river Shannon. I was surprised to see the bus and 3 tanker trucks on a ferry but I guess that's routine there. The tankers were carrying milk for the Kerry Butter co. The views were spectacular on this trip which was unusual. Ireland usually has lots of rain and fog but while we were there we had beautiful weather.

Tana, me and Patti

A Celtic cross at Glendalough

Other highlights were a trip to the Waterford Crystal factory where we learned all about the process of making crystal (and I got a few things shipped home), the Avoca Weaver Mill where we watched how their woolen items are made, and a farm where we watched them herd and shear sheep. There was also the Irish National Stud farm where they breed race horses. One of my friends and I also went to a dinner at Bunratty Castle and we all went to see the Muckross House (Ireland's answer to Downton Abbey). After that tour we went to have drinks beside the lake of Killarney as the sun went down. Not a bad view! We also went to Glendalough which is where there are the ruins of a monestary where St. Kevin lived and was buried. I love old cemeteries so this was pretty awesome. 

This little Waterford beauty was on sale for 40,000 euros - a bit rich for me!

We usually had lunches on our own and found some great places to eat. We also had some strange food - I had a fish pizza which was nothing to write home about!  I had planned to try Irish stew and shepherd's pie but never did. I did have Bailey's Irish Creme on porridge one morning, not a fan of the porridge but the Bailey's was quite nice. We learned tons of Irish history and where our ancestors came from, as well as a few phrases and words we all will probably use. Tickety boo was my favorite (meaning everything is just fine) and let's "poodle" on home.

We were up 34 or 35 hours going over there and 24 coming back but I'm happy to say that I didn't have jet lag. I did get a massage the day after I got back and found out that every bit of my body was sore. I figured out that we had 22 hours in the air, 7 days of riding buses for about 1000 miles, 11 hours of layovers in airports, and 6 different hotels. No wonder I was sore.  On a good note, I just took a small carry on bag and my purse so I didn't spend a lot of money because I had no way to get things home. The porters in the hotels loved me!

Me in Dublin

Photo Friday - Panorama

This was taken in Kauai on the way back from a hike.

The storm coming in off the ocean was amazing to watch. 

(I apologize that the website isn't so great at showing a panoramic photo. Click on the photo for a closer look)

Photo Friday - Warmth

The AZ sun certainly has "warmth". It was only about 80 at 5:30 AM but later it got to 110!

Photo Friday - Portrait

I took this picture of my granddaughter when she was one day old.  I was so happy that it turned out so good. There is nothing as precious as a new baby.  I love you Harper Grace!

Sketchbook Update

Back in November I wrote about my sketch journal.  Since then a lot of things in my life have changed, for the better thankfully. I am still using my sketchbook journal but I have more focus I think.  Every week I try to do a drawing and then write around it  I have found that my best drawings are of flowers, sort of like my best photos are always of flowers!  Some are not so hot, but once they are in the journal, there isn't much you can do about them without tearing out the page. I started sharing them on Instagram and Facebook and it seems a lot of people really like them. I have gotten 2 commissions from people to do artwork for them - who knew?  Here are a few of the ones I've done lately.

I love this one

this one, not so much.

A few more favorites...

This is my front yard in the springtime. 

This was my Easter drawing. My irises were in bloom and so beautiful.

I like this one of my back yard pond.

There are several aps on my phone that allow me to put several pictures together. It's kind of cool to put the real picture beside the watercolor. I loved the real flower below but wasn't too happy with my artwork rendition of it.

I actually drew this flag last year but added in the real one for posting this 4th of July.

Bill challenged me to draw a dragon fly. I think I need more work on them!

And for the FLOUR part of my blog. We were invited to lunch yesterday and I was to bring dessert. I combined 2 different recipes and came up with the most wonderful lemonade cheesecake.  Sometimes I amaze even myself!  It was heavenly, in a very tart kind of way!

Now I'll need to come up with something equally as wonderful for the next time. YIKES!

Photo Friday - Green

Although this picture wasn't taken to show green, it certainly does. This little bird comes to visit every evening and lands on these flowers right outside my family room. I'm sure he has no idea I can see him up close like this. He's about the size of a hummingbird. I think I'll name him.

Photo Friday - Simplicity

Can't get much simpler than this - I can make fire.

Photo Friday - Sky

The Arizona sky is pretty boring right now so this shot of the morning sky as I walked into work yesterday will have to do.

Photo Friday - Perspective

This weekend we went to Sedona and visited the Red Rock State Park. This tree was enormous, and I stood with my back against the trunk and shot the picture looking straight up. I like the change in perspective.

Photo Friday - Movement

This hummingbird certainly has movement - as does the water fountain in my secret garden.

Remembering...

Frank L. Redfield, Sr. in his WWI uniform

It's Memorial Day, a day of remembering people important to us, or even those we have never met. I always think of my grandparents on Memorial Day. My Granddaddy Redfield died in 1969. I was in 5th grade I think. That was my first experience with a family member that was suddenly not in my life any more. Our house was in the same yard on the farm as my Dad's parents and we saw them every day. That's not a concept that families know much any more. My grandfather had homesteaded in NE Montana in 1914 - one hundred years ago.  Several of his brothers also came with him from Wisconsin and they had adjoining properties. As time went on they all left but my grandpa stayed on the land and my family still farms it today. That is a very cool legacy that he gave us.


My Grandma Redfield came to MT from Missouri when her father, Sam Goforth, homesteaded in the same area as my grandfather. She was a schoolteacher in small country schools.  In those days teachers didn't get married so she had no plans for that until she decided she wanted to have kids. She was 30 at the time, much older than most brides of those days, but she and my grandpa were married on Nov. 19, 1919. I remember the date because I have her wedding band and it is engraved inside - I love it and wear it all the time.  I'm named after her, our middle names are/were Lavina. We were close when I was growing up and I'm glad she lived long enough to know my boys. She taught me so many things, how to crochet, knit, embroider and tat, and also about gardening. 

Mary Lavina Redfield with great-grandchildren Logan,
Christopher and Nicholas. She was about 90 in this picture.

My Grandpa Slife died shortly after my parents were married so I only know him in stories my mom told me. He was born Frank Schleif but changed his last name to Slife. He grew up in Pennsylvania and worked in the coal mines as a young boy. He later joined the Army and was actually a prison guard at Alcatraz when it was a military prison. After he married my Grandma they lived in Atlanta, GA and he started a very successful plumbing business. My connection to him is that he loved to garden and planted thousands of bulbs and flowers every year. I think he and I would have been great friends.

Frank Slife in his Army uniform

My Grandma Slife was a nurse, like me! Although things were very different back then. She graduated from nursing school in 1915.  Like teachers, nurses were not supposed to get married so she also didn't get married until she was 30. After that she didn't work as a nurse in a hospital, but Mom says she treated lots of people who came to her for help knowing she would know what to do. They had 3 children, Mary, Sylvia and Bill. Only my Mom is still alive.  I remember my Grandma Slife as a very fun person. She used to come visit us in the summer in MT. She owned stock Coca Cola company and she would buy a case of Coke for us to have while she was visiting. We never had soda in the house other than those times. She also would send a box that arrived before she did, and every day she would give us something from that goodie box - oh the excitement! She had false teeth and would take them out and sing to us and we would dissolve into giggles. I think of her singing "Little Brown Jug" with no teeth and I still smile. She traveled a lot and came back one time dancing the hula for us. She was a very generous person and paid for all of us grandkids to go to college - something that I will always be grateful for.

Rebe Sylvia McElwee with her fellow nursing school graduates - 1915

My Dad died in 2004. He grew up on the farm in MT and had been in the Navy in WWII - joined when he was 17.  He was on a ship that was sunk in the Pacific, the Princeton, but swam for 8 hours and survived to tell the tale.  He joined the Army just after WWII and he met my Mom at a USO. She was serving coffee to the troops. It was love at first sight and they got married about a year later. He worked for her father in the plumbing business for a short time, moved back to the farm for a year, but then was hired as a policeman in Atlanta. They bought a home and started a family - 5 of us before they moved back to the farm in MT in 1956 (and 2 more after that). He farmed until he was in his late 70's, but also did crop dusting, gun smithing and airplane repairs in his "off time".  He and Mom became snowbirds after I moved to AZ and came here every winter.  They lived close to us until he died.

Frank L. Redfield Jr. in is Navy uniform

My niece, Erin Sheer, died in 2005 when she was 27 years old. She was living in San Francisco at the time and working on her Master's degree in art. She was my oldest sister's only child and the loss of that free spirit still makes us all cry.  She was the oldest grandchild in the Redfield clan and she is missed. If you ever see photos of any of us Redfield girls wearing a star necklace, that is in remembrance of Erin.

Erin Abigail Sheer - 2001

We also had one other loss in the family, one we never got to meet. Nick and Mandy had a miscarriage in 2008 so we don't know that little soul. I'm sure he/she would have been amazing judging by the other 3 babies they have.

So today I'm also thinking about all those other people in our pasts, military and non who pave the way. I'm glad we have a day where we can just remember....

Photo Friday - Still Life

Who knew taking a picture of still life would be so hard. The first one is what I decided to submit, but I put in 3 others that I liked too. I've never been one to stage a photo so this week's entry WAS a challenge for me.

Post a comment and tell me which one you like best!

My Kitchen Table - After Easter Blah

My Kitchen Table - Throw in Some Color Please!

A Little Post Easter Bunny Pile