my furry feathery family

today i drove far for a little lady. a fluffy girl with sweet eyes, who licks my nose and is smaller than my cats (for now).
today i met my future daughter, first dog of my own. she doesn't have a name yet, but i am beyond excited! she is an australian shepard (aka. aussie) - a herding dog! perfect for my little farm of cats, chickens, vegis and art making.
i also visited a potential new home with lots of land for free range chickens, vegi growing, puppy hula hoop jumping, outdoor dining and mountain views... things are shaping up. and i can't wait till i get to take my pup home. what will my cats think of their new baby sister? my chickens will probably be a bit alarmed. any tips on the introduction process? tell me everything!
i am glowing with happy feelings today. there is nothing quite like a new addition to your furry / feathery family.

z-ranch and the naked lady sculpture garden

lastnight i visited my two favorite artist / farmer friends, wayne and emily. both of them are such remarkable human beings. we met while at calarts. wayne was in the grad program w/ me. he is quite honestly one of my all time favorite painters. equally talented is his wife emily, who recently has set out to create a naked lady sculpture garden right by their home on the zorthian ranch.
they recently moved back to la after having had a successful farm out in south carolina raising all kinds of livestock. nowadays the pair are working on an organic vegetable garden project along with raising chickens and much more. i will be checking back in with them often to show you the process of their project.
the best part of these two is their commitment to sustainable living. they have actually grown their own food for several years now, so feasting with them is always a treat. and having naked ladies watch over your shoulder in the garden, that just makes it 10 times better!

by the way, the horse in the image, yeah he just hangs out like that. he is like one of the dogs. and the chicks, well that is the same breed as my dear little fart face. fun to see what she will look like full grown, wonder if she will become a tree jumper too :).
(take a closer look at that tree shot, there is a chicken up in there!)

desert healing

i tried to stay away from the blog in an effort to give my emotions a rest. i drove to the desert to the brick house to see morgan and her puppies and my other favorite ladies, abby and laure. a little thrifting, pigging out and time spent out on a rock in the desert was really what i needed. who knew. those ladies make me smile. and the brick house makes for a lovely place to relax and get away (barking chihuahuas and all).
and now i am back to blog about it, because what i also realize is how much i love this blog and sharing with you all.
thank you to everyone who has reached out to give me words of love and comfort. it means so much to me. if i could hug each and everyone of you, i would.
while out in jtree, i took my time staring at all the little details we sometimes miss out when taken by the gorgeous vast landscape. seeing all the little flowers fighting their way through the heat and dry dirt, the funny bird fountain built out of found objects, the basketball court in the middle of nowhere, the multiple colors of quartz rocks, the seeds hatched, roots split, animal droppings and bottle caps... reminded me of all the happenings and moments that make up the experience of the desert so amazing. in focusing on all those details, i tried to apply the same thinking to my life. i am going to take it a day at a time and really try to focus on those little moments that make it so special.

taking a moment

hi gang...
i have just experienced a really intense week (well month acutally). my uncle just passed a few days ago and i am going to need a little blogging break. i need some time to just breathe and think about him and all the memories i have of him. i hate to be a downer, but i wanted you to know why i might be missing in action for a bit. in the meantime, i am going listen to some rolling stones in honor of my uncle, who i loved very dearly and always reminded me the importance of some good rock and roll music and attitude. he was a major stones fan... and now every time i hear mick and the boys it takes me back.

more diy please

spent some more time on pinterest and i did not come back empty handed. in fact, below is a collection of my favorite diy ideas for the garden - romantic lighting, planters galore, recycled options... and for the home, a little facelift to the old, bring the outdoors in...
there is no excuse not to diy up a storm these days. so many incredible ways to re use materials and make life grow all over the place. i am so inspired!

visit my pinterest boards here. i am always adding MORE.