5th blogiversary

country fireworks  7/3/11; photo by di-did-it

Today I'm celebrating the fifth anniversary of the day I started blogging. Looking back through the posts over the past five years, there's been a lot of growth in various areas, which makes me feel proud. I've gained friends, skills, experiences, a broader perspective, more courage and self-acceptance -- all good, wonderful things. What's next?

This month I'll be opening an Etsy shop to begin selling some of my handmade items. Instead of a give-away today to celebrate my blogiversary, look for some kind of special when the shop opens. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a quote: 

"You don’t have to be great to get started, but

you have to get started to be great." ~ Les Brown 

Believe, 
Di 

seasonal blue moon and an announcement

Did you get to see that gorgeous full moon last week? We were lucky in Iowa to have clear skies so I grabbed my camera & tripod and headed off to the local reservoir. What a beautiful evening! Too bad the park closed at 9... I could have stayed much longer and soaked in more of that beautiful summer night. 

While I prefer color photography, next year's Photography Salon for the Iowa State Fair will be all black and white (it's their 75th anniversary so they're doing a salute to Ansel Adams). Since I'd like to enter next year, I need to learn and practice black and white shooting. If you have any experience in this area you care to share, I'd welcome your input. 

On a totally different note, I'm excited to share with you that I've been pursuing a long-time entrepreneurial dream of having my own Professional Organizing business, which is why there haven't been as many creative endeavors and posts on my blog the last couple years. The new business officially opened this year and I'm having a blast helping others. If you're interested, you can find the website here and my Facebook page here. The Facebook posts won't all be specific to Central Iowa, so please, feel free to follow along. You just might like some of the tips that will be shared -- some will be specific to creative spaces. 

"We all have our own life to pursue, our own kind of dream

to be weaving, and we all have the power to make wishes come true,

as long as we keep believing." ~ Louisa May Alcott

Believe, 
Di

her crown

Enjoying a quiet moment in the garden this past Friday night, a movement caught my eye. To my joy, a pair of goldfinches had found our coneflowers and stopped for a nibble. Luckily, I was able to take a few photos before our pooch scared them off (my little protector -- always on duty). Here the female looks like she's wearing a crown. 

May your summer days be filled with unexpected delights! 

Believe, 
Di 

first lily

So excited for my first tiger lily! My dad gave me some from his garden a couple years ago. Last year when they came up, the bunnies ate them all to the ground. This year, I put chicken wire around that section of the garden and it worked. This is the first of several blooms yet to come. Isn't that color rich? Do you see the ant on the stem? You can click on the photo to enlarge it. Endless life and activity in the garden -- such a delight to observe. 

My "creative" time recently has been diverted to a new business endeavor. More news to come... for now I'll leave you with a quote from the remarkable Eleanor Roosevelt: 

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost,

to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt 

Believe,
Di

curiosity

My family & I spent Sunday visiting departed family at various cemeteries throughout the state. This little fella (or gal, I'm not sure) was as curious about me that day as I was about him/her. I probably could've gotten closer, but wasn't about to take any chances with claws like those. Better safe than sorry. Squirrels sure can be fun to watch though, can't they? Especially when there's more than one and they seem to be playing tag.  

Speaking of watching, I jumped out to my blog reader yesterday to catch up on all the blogs I follow, and they were all missing. Hopefully, it's just a temporary blip with blogger -- I'm anxious to catch up on what you've all been doing. Until then, I'll remain curious. 

Believe, 
Di

Gandalf the Grey

Meet Gandalf, aka Gandalf the Grey (my husband has been a Lord of the Rings fan most of his life and got me hooked too when we met nearly 20 years ago). We adopted Gandalf and his brother, Avatar, from a shelter in May of 1999. Avatar left us in 2011, but this guy is still healthy as ever. At some point we'll adopt a brother or two for him to play with but for now, he's quite content being the sole feline here, as well as being my model for photo-practice -- I'm taking a few photos everyday to get familiar with my camera as well as train my mind to be more observant and see things from a different perspective.  

I hope you all have a good week ahead! 

Believe, 
Di

Well, friends, I must have overdone things last weekend. A bug caught me and held me captive this week. I'm on the road to recovery, but very fatigued so no crafting was done other than a little practicing of the half double stitch -- and I'm pleased to say the result was a square rather than being shaped like Iowa or some other state or object - ha! Rather than share a less-than-exciting picture of that, here's a snapshot of a deer from our state park outing last Sunday. I'm still learning this new camera so the photo isn't terribly clear, but aren't this girl's eyes gorgeous? 

It's snowing in Iowa again today. Mother Nature is laughing heartily at the calendar this year, for sure. I'm ready for Spring but the extended winter has kept the bald eagles around longer than usual, so that's been nice. I love to see them soaring overhead or sitting in the trees along the rivers. 

Have a great week everyone. Stay healthy & safe, and.... HAVE FUN! 

Believe, 
Di 

peek a boo

Last night my husband took me out to a local state park so I could play with the new camera he gave me for my birthday (a tad early, since tomorrow is the day). These three sweeties were timidly hiding behind the branches next to the road, and scattered soon after I snapped a couple photos. They are such beautiful animals. 

We're heading to a St. Patty's Day party tonight so I've gotta scoot -- will post again soon. In the meantime, have a keen & green weekend!  

Believe, 
Di

katydid and wips

This katydid came by the other day. Aren't its patterns interesting? You can click to see close up. 

And just so you know I don't spend all my time bird & bug watching {smile}, here are some wips I've been working on in honor of October being breast cancer awareness month. Don't forget to schedule your mammograms, ladies, and self-check too! 

Believe, 
Di

a special trip to the mailbox

I'm hoping to feel up to making progress on some glass pendant WIPs today (been fighting a bit of a cold), but in the meantime, I'll share a photo from yesterday. Our mailbox is at the curb, and since I'm not consistent about watering plants, I use silk flowers in the mailbox flower box. The fact the flowers are fake didn't matter to this gorgeous dragonfly -- he rested there nearly hidden for quite some time. If it had been a cloudy day I might have missed him, but the sun danced so beautifully off his stunning wings I saw him instantly & dashed back in the house for the camera. If you click on the photo, you can see him in more detail. 

Wishing you all a truly enjoyable day!

Believe, 
Di

our state bird at our state fair

We enjoyed a great day at the Iowa State Fair Wednesday. I snapped this photo of the state bird of Iowa at one of the gardens while we snacked on freshly made mini donuts for breakfast. Yes, I gave in to a sugary treat at 8am but was a good girl the rest of the day with a veggie corn dog for lunch and lots of water (ok, and a couple wheat beers before we left - smile).

Speaking of photos, my new camera arrived after we got home from the fair and I'm LOVING it! I haven't played much, but what I've seen of it so far has be very excited. This fun new toy might mean I have more photos to share (that give-and-take thing, since I enjoy so many of everyone else's photos on their/your blogs). Until next time....

Believe,
Di

dragonfly visit

While weeding the garden today, I was visited by a beautiful dragonfly.

I cannot explain it, but whenever I see a dragonfly, I'm compelled to stop whatever I'm doing and study it. They fascinate me to no end. We're both born of water (I'm Pisces), and according to some, dragonflies symbolize growth and change, which I've definitely been going through. Whatever the draw, its visit was one of the highlights of my day (among several ~ it was truly a blessed day).

After a cold & wet June, central Iowa is finally experiencing summer. We've been in the upper 90's the past two days, and expect to stay here for a while. YAY! I love the heat ~ bring it on! Fully experiencing all four seasons is one of the best parts of living in the Midwest and something I cherish. Then again, I've not lived anywhere else so it may just be a situation of choosing to be happy :)

"Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed." ~ Corita Kent

Believe,
Di

winter isn't giving up

It's March 29 and winter isn't giving up on Iowa yet. We didn't get much snow overnight, but enough to blanket most things. It's so clean and fresh! Mother Nature is making everything clean & sparkly for spring to make a glorious & colorful late entrance!

When I turned back to the house, I discovered these two priceless babes watching my every move. Gandalf and Winston haven't let me out of their sight much since we lost Gandalf's brother Avatar to renal failure Friday night. They haven't had much attention the last few weeks since I've been caring for Avy, so not only are they making sure I'm ok, they are wanting their fill of affection (and believe me, I've been pouring it on them). I don't know what I'd do without my boys..... at the moment, they are each curled up napping in their baskets next to my desk. Yup, I'm in love..... :)

Believe,

Di

winter's splendor

Winter blessed central Iowa with so much beauty this morning, my heart was full...

May you too find peace & quiet beauty this last week of 2010.

Believe...
Di

the dragonfly --oops

6/14 AM update: oops! My friend Trace politely informed me off-blog that I had photographed a mayfly, rather than dragonfly. If you google 'mayfly' you'll learn, as I did, these are cool creatures too... not as cool as a dragonfly, IMO, but still amazing. Thanks, Trace!

Look at the wonderful little miracle the pizza delivery guy pointed out to my husband this evening, just outside our front door. I am fascinated by dragonflies, and have never before witnessed this event. My inner child was ecstatic! Dragonflies represent change in many cultures, as well as hope. It's a sign, I just know it. Most everything is, if we're only open to it.

part three ~ getting arboreal: a nature collection

It's the third & final check on our trees for the photo excursion Julie & JeriAnn hosted. I'm amazed at how much taller my tree has grown since my first photographs August 28. Now, rather than the golden leaves of November 8, we have tiny green buds.

This last photo shows the height growth (ok, you might have to squint to see the branches reaching up to the top of the photo), as well as reminds me how luscious green this tree will be in a month or two.

Thanks for coming by to visit. I'm off now to visit the other trees/sites of participants in the photo excursion. If you'd like to come along, click here, scroll down a little and you'll find a list in red on the left side. Enjoy!

to start your day...

In case you missed the sunrise this morning, I'm sharing the beautiful sight from central Iowa just a few minutes ago. It took my breath away. Now I'm sipping my favorite coffee as I type this. I have a hair appointment this afternoon (wonderful scalp massage), RENT tickets tonight (my favorite musical) and plans to go to a art/craft show tomorrow with my mom & sister. Life is good! Have a fantastic Friday, everyone! Oh, and I have been creating some here & there.... I just don't have anything done yet. I'll share when I do.

part two ~ getting arboreal: a nature collection

It's time to check in on our trees, for the photo excursion Julie & JeriAnn are hosting. These updated photos are a stark contrast to the green leaves I photographed on the tree August 28. Just a few leaves remain, shimmering a golden yellow. I didn't realize it until I downloaded the photos to my pc, that our pooch is in the background of one of them. The little sweetie is with me everywhere....

It over 70 degrees here in Iowa today ~ a rare treat for November. I hope you're enjoying rare treats today too!

nature nurturing

Life has been pretty stressful lately. I grabbed a couple hours after work today for some soul-care. We're fortunate to live less than 10 miles from some wonderful parks, so I grabbed my camera and headed for one of my favorites. It's not a colorful park, but it's beautiful nonetheless. I could sit and stare at the oaks for hours....

The water is so soothing....

Even the clouds were cooperating to set just the right meditative mood...

A couple times I was so moved by the sights, sounds & smells, I nearly cried....

Then a squirrel came along and coaxed a big smile out of me....

Nature brings peace, balance & harmony to my life...

Please, my friends, take time for yourselves.


"We hear voices in solitude we never hear in the hurry and turmoil of life; we receive counsels and comforts we get under no other condition."
~ Amelia Barr

clove & our first snow

I awoke this morning congested & with a sore throat. Boy, did that hit fast, as I felt great last night. Hopefully it'll pass as quickly as it came. To help in that regard, I cancelled today's plans and am laying low. I did some online research about which essentials oils are good for my condition and unfortunately, didn't find a lot of consistency amongst the various websites I visited. A couple mentioned clove, and since that's one of my favorites and I have it on hand, I chose it. If it doesn't work, at least I'll enjoy the aroma. It's such a warm fall scent.

I had another surprise when I awoke this morning ~ our first snow of the season. Large, fluffy flakes floated gently about, bringing a crisp freshness to the air. I took these photos early in the day, from our patio door. A little over an inch accumulated before it all melted away this afternoon. The photo below shows it on a cob web ~ interesting, huh?

Stay healthy out there!