Animal Wednesday: Snug as a bug

Emma's favorite thing is to sleep under warm things like blankets or big sweaters. She finds a spot and then covers herself up. Sometimes she needs a little help to get it just right. After I took this photo I went over and kissed her nose. I'm just crazy about this little girl!

Happy Animal Wednesday!

Synchronized Sunsets

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate to have met fellow blogger Sketched Out and her husband, Tom. They drove five hours from Southern California to meet me and to enjoy a weekend on the central coast. I happen to be one of her biggest fans in the blogsphere, and here I was about to meet her! I'm a very shy person in real life even though I may come across quite differently on the blog. Like many, I have self-esteem issues mainly based on my appearance.(Yes, I know what a waste of time that is.) On top of that, my friend came to meet me when I had major life issues going on, including the closing of Studio Lolo. In otherwords, I was not at my best!

We met at a Mexican restaurant and fell into easy conversation and laughter. It was as if we had been friends for years and we were just catching up! She and her wonderful husband were charming and engaging and made the meeting such a breeze. We went to my studio after dinner and they chose an Illustration Friday painting to take home with them, which I insisted they take as a gift. SuperHero now lives with them and I know she has a good home!

We met for breakfast the following morning before they went on their way to Point Lobos and Carmel Valley. We talked about the wonderful photo ops Tom would have as a photographer, and what places I suggested to stop for lunch and wine tasting.

When we met on our final morning together at another breakfast stop, they talked about the sunset and we each described the photos we took.( I watched the sunset that same evening down at Asilomar Beach with my dog, Emma.) So now when I look at this photo, it warms my heart to know they were sharing the same moment a little bit further up the coast.

I'll get down to their neck of the woods one day before I head back east. And I won't be preoccupied with "stuff." This time I'll be at my best.

So, thank you my friend for taking time out of your life to meet me and to bring light into a time of gloom. We'll always have this sunset!

(you can see their sunset by clicking on Tom above!)

Old Roses and Zuby

I have wonderful clients who spoil me because they're so grateful for the care I give to their beloved animals. This one lady has a twenty year old cat her son brought home from Paris. Her name is Zuby and I adore her. I see her every other day to give her fluid therapy for her failing kidneys. She's really doing quite well and has even gained weight! Each day after treatment I carry her out to the garden so she can smell the roses and get some fresh air. She points her face towards the sun and closes her eyes in sheer bliss. It really lifts her spirits as well as mine. The local paper just did an article on me and my pet nursing services and Zuby and I were on the front page. The reporter got misty-eyed when I leaned Zuby forward to smell the roses.

Yesterday, Zuby's mom insisted I cut some roses to bring to the studio, so I did. The fragrance is filling up my space, and when I look at them I think of my time in the garden with Zuby, and that fills up my heart.

I finally decorated the studio for the holidays yesterday. I'm so dedicated to my pet nursing service that I've neglected my creative self and my studio, which I consider my sacred space. I waited until I was fifty to fully embrace the artistic life and "just go for it." When I'm at the studio everything seems peaceful. Even if I'm not feeling creative or inspired, I look at books, or sit on my fantastic balcony or sometimes I just go around the place and view the art as if I'm seeing it for the first time. So, when I came into the studio yesterday I did just that. I looked at it with fresh eyes and realized I had neglected a dear friend. I got out the decorations from last year, went and bought a few more bulbs, made snowflake confetti in shades of blue and then I celebrated my space. I bought a real wreath so it would smell like Christmas used to smell for me, placed the blue and green bulbs in various nooks and table tops, sprinkled the snowflake confetti around to make it look more festive, and then I looked at my Grandfather's picture and wished him a Merry Christmas and thanked him for blessing me with a little portion of his talent. That's my greatest gift of all, and of course, helping all those wonderful animals.