On the shores of Gitchigami....

I still get goosebumps when I see the Mac rising above the trees as you get closer to Mackinaw City but, it's the towns that mean more to me after you cross the bridge.  Epoufette, Rexton, Garnet, Naubinway, Trout Lake, Brevort, Hulbert, Engadine, Newberry.......land of my ancestors.  Family......Home.  

Lake Superior.....Gitchigami as the Ojibwe Tribe named it.  Never warm, always cold no matter what time of year.

but, beautiful.  

The Dilemma of Uncle Chuck

While I was giving Uncle Chuck a bath this morning my brain told my heart it was time to let Chuck go but, my heart is stubborn and argued with my brain.  Charlie has no balance.  No one knows what's wrong or what caused it and it's been 2 months and he isn't better.  He staggers, falls, gets up, staggers, falls, etc.  He can't make it to the litter box so we're constantly cleaning up messes but, because he has no balance it means if he pees he falls in it.  If he poops, he falls in it.  He falls into his watered down canned food, you get the picture?  He's alert, he knows us, it might take him a while for his bobbing head to focus on us when we talk to him but he does it.  And that is why my heart is stubborn but, is this a good life for him?  Is he happy?  I noticed before his trip he wasn't eating as much and now he's throwing up what he ate and that's when my brain said it was time but, my heart hasn't totally agreed yet.  Uncle Chuck is 14 years old, he's led a good pampered life....is it time?

Spent last week at the Grand Lake O' the Cherokees melting in 100+ weather.  Too hot to go out on the boat, too hot to sit on the deck and enjoy the lake but had a nice visit with Leah, Phil, Brandy, Ginger and Rupert.

My gentle giant

Louie, my gentle giant is dying.  He was as big as our dog, weighed 20 lbs or more but was the most gentlest of creatures.  I fostered his mother and 5 brothers for the humane society 11 years ago.  I knew he was going to be big by the size of his front paws so we adopted him.  His paw filled the palm of my hand but he never intimidated the other animals.  He accepted all of them, never hissing, growling, etc to any of the other rescues.   Now my gentle giant is leaving me and it breaks my heart.  His left lung stopped working, the right lung can't keep up and his heart is giving out and no one knows why.  Waiting for the vet to open so we can make the appointment to end his suffering.  May he go as gentle as he has lived his life.

janie

Following In The Sun online art journal class

I have been following In The Sun's daily prompts.  Sometimes the finished page doesn't look what I had envisioned in my head when I started.  Then I usually argue with myself on whether I should just leave it alone or try 'fixing' it.....it's still under debate.

We were to create a beach playlist, songs we'd play at the beach.  My choices were.... Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (from Lilo & Stitch), Soak Up the Sun (Sheryl Crow), Pearly Shells (Don Ho), Kokomo (Beach Boys).  I forgot to write down Waimanalo Blues by Country Comfort.  The background is pink and yellow acrylic with black marker dots, photo of the beach at Whitefish Point, Martha Stewart tapes and graph paper.

Favorite Summer Memories--Before the Mighty Mac was built you rode a car ferry to reach the Upper Peninsula.  My parents would never let us get out of the car and walk on deck.  The Mackinac Bridge is an impressive sight and still get goosebumps when I first catch sight of it's peaks on the horizon.

Summer Takes Flight-- I didn't want to do a page on mosquitos so did one on lightning bugs.  This was one of those moments when the final page was not what I had envisioned.  I had to leave it.

I love hibiscus flowers and one of the few flowers that I haven't killed......

 The prompt was what chore we would like to give up for the summer.  Since I can't do very much I went with having a doctor free summer...no oncologist, allergist, surgeon, bariatric surgeon, pulmonologist, family dr, dentist, oral surgeon.  Of course that isn't going to happen.

I like how this turned out....don't remember what the prompt was.

Using some of the scrapbooking supplies Phil and Leah sent for my birthday I created this page.  Even used the wrapping paper.

In the Sun Art Journal

I joined In The Sun online art journl prompts and have been managing to keep up so far.  Yay for me!

janie

CAUTION: Wear gloves.....

 Went out to take a picture of my peonies and found a surprise in the tiger lilies.....

a litter of feral kittens that had wandered out from under the back deck.  We caught 3 of them (wearing gloves) but, the others ran back under.  I worried about them all day in the heat with no water but couldn't get them to come out.  Not sure what we are going to do, too much stress with Gary's accident now.

Did remember to get a pic of the peony....

janie

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

While leafing through one of my mags I came across an ad for Manolo Blahnik shoes and several ads of models wearing designer clothes when an idea for a collage formed,,grew and wouldn't let go until I finished.  Years ago a movie was made starring 2 very young ladies, Helen Hunt and Sarah Jessica Parker called Girls Just Want To Have Fun.  Loved the movie and loved the song.  I started clipping ideas and putting them in my collage pile.   This was my first collage so I wasn't sure what I was doing but arranged, rearranged, painted, used oil pastels, etc until I was happy with the end results.  I was fortunate to find a pic of SJP but ended covering it up but, I know it's there.  Let me know what you think.

Signed up for the art journal e-class In the Sun....Looking forward to it.
janie