Monday, April 25, 2022

This Week's Musings

 

  April is soon ending and spring is here! Although I haven't gotten my hanging flower baskets yet a pair of finches have decided to nest on our front porch anyway (every year we get at least one nest in each basket). They managed a nest at the top right corner of our front porch under the roof and it was difficult but I managed to climb up on the bench , hold on with one hand, and take photos with the other so I could see what was in the nest. Not the best pics, but...




 
My hope is that they'll be safe here:)

 I spent much time outdoors starting on Friday -Earth Day,  where I spent time with DIL Kyra and others who met at a local shopping center to clean up trash. It was through Kyra's organization Lehigh Valley Trash Pact and this was the second year she had the clean up here. We met in front of the Hot Yoga Hut. The owner kindly gave us each a  pass good for one free visit/class.

 
 Kyra is fourth in from the left and I am next to her. So much garbage in one not very large parking lot😩. And sadly there is constant trash blowing around this space. 

 Then on Saturday hubby and I went to Dimmick Park in nearby Hellertown to help Kyra celebrate her two year anniversary since the Lehigh Valley Trash Pact conception. It's a huge park, and driving into it it certainly appeared very clean so we were all surprised by how much trash we found- including on the baseball fields and in the dug outs. It was a great day!


 There were a few others who helped out but left before the group photo. Then on Sunday it was clean up time in our own yard. I picked up and planted just a few flowers because it is still a bit early here as it gets fairly cold some nights.

 And oh my, I just realized as I'm getting ready to post for T Stands For Tuesday- that Earth Day was also our dear hostess' bEARTHday! So sorry to have forgotten your day Elizabeth- I hope it was a special day full of celebration- happy belated bearthday to you🎂🎈🥳💝!!!

 Such a coincidence that my ticket for T day happens to be this:


 This is a molasses cupcake recipe Elizabeth shared with us some time ago. I make it on a regular basis but I do it the lazy way- in a 7" x11" glass baking dish 😁. It's a delicious recipe! Cheers!

 

a journal page in the Dina Wakley white journal page I did just for fun- no challenges.

But here is one for Art Journal Journey (Play it Again, Sam), and Try It On Tuesday (I Can hear Music):


 I bet many of you know the song that inspired this page 😉. Last Friday evening I came upon a movie on Hulu Live 'Freddie Mercury - The Final Act'. I was so drawn into this documentary-like film, and it was very emotional. I kept hearing the songs in my head, especially this one,  and I had to create a journal page around the song and the feeling. All products are Dina wakley but the song lines are computer generated. 

 
 A simple and quick page in the kraft journal. And speaking of, my first kraft journal book is completed - cover to cover! I'll share the covers in my next post. My second kraft journal is waiting for me:)

 Enjoy the final days of April in this week ahead. 🤗

"It is in awareness that we bring everything to life that lives within us. There is no time like the present to give birth to creativity."        Kathleen Anderson




29 comments:

  1. Good evening Linda, that sounds like a perfect way to celebrate earth day-it is amazing how much trash is thrown on the ground by people which is really sad. I always enjoy your art, we are still getting cold at night too-another freeze warning tonight. Hoping May will be a bit warmer so I get back to work outdoors.
    Your cake sounds delicious-Happy T

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  2. There's so many good things in this post Linda. And before I forget to mention it, thanks for sharing that fun art with us at Art Journal Journey and also for Try It On Tuesday. It's nice how these 2 challenges coincide, isn't it? And good for you to do something good for the planet on Earth day. And you even provided a home to those finches. I hope you have a great week and T day too. Hugs-Erika

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  3. Beautiful art today! What a great way to spend time with your DIL as well as celebrate earth day.
    That molasses cake looks delicious.
    Happy Tea Day,
    Kate

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  4. Good for you to do all that trash pick up and great that your daughter is so committed to such a good cause. It is amazing how much trash you can pick up when you look for it. Beautiful art!

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  5. What a great way to celebrate Earth Day and by coincidence Elizabeth's Bearthday! I like to help out picking up trash and making an area look nice. But my husband hates going around picking up other people's trash. 'They should pick up after themselves!' in his own words.. But i think well.. they don't .. do we just leave it there to look at every day? I say no , so i'm willing to pick it up.. Good for you .. good for all of you and everyone around you! Happy T day! Hugs! deb

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  6. So many ways to celebrate Earth Day -- I am traveling so did none of them, unless you mean just loving the earth and its creatures. That's been my main activity for a week. (also means not much blog commenting)

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  7. Your art is beautiful, and thoughtful, as always. Ad I love hat you are joining the clean-ups with your beautiful daughter. I used to join in here but can't do it any more, I love seeing all the people, young and old, cleaning the meadows along the river. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

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  8. Such wonderful art Linda, thanks for playing along with my AJJ theme! I love a bit of Queen.
    And I applaud your clean up efforts, I try to pick up rubbish occasionally on our walks, but there is always more sadly.
    Happy T Day,
    Alison

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  9. You did a great job for our earth 👍
    Your journal art is thoughts awakening and love the happy girls. I watched last week a film on TV that told about Freddy Mercury's laast times. It was wery touching.
    Good luck for the bird nest, and have a wonderful April ahead 💚🌺

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  10. How wonderful that you are able to pick up so much trash on both Earth Day ad the day after. Kyra is a real force, isn't she? So glad you two had quality time together and helped the planet, too.

    I enjoyed the song you chose for Alison's theme at Art Journal Journey. Rather poignant page. I also especially liked the art you created in your kraft journal. I especially loved the leaves.

    I haven't baked anything since Christmas day, so I was delighted to see you had picked a recipe I provided to go with your coffee. Thanks for sharing your beautiful art and your cake and coffee with us for T this Tuesday.

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  11. Having nesting birds so close is fun :) Cleaning up trash sounds like the perfect Earth Day activity. The cake looks delicious. Happy T Tuesday!

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  12. Fabulous and such the perfect way to celebrate earth Day - you're all stars! Loving your art and your cake and cuppa look delicious 😀. Loving the mug too! Happy T Day! Hugs Jo x

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  13. The bird's nest is so cute and all those precious, little eggs. Looks like the Finches have a cozy niche to raise their babies. After all that work picking up trash, you deserved 2 pieces of cake. Cute art pages. Happy T Day

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  14. Hope to see baby birds soon!
    And no. I will never understand that trash-problem! Sometimes I have some ... oh-what-ever and there is no bin. So what?! Put it in your bag till you find the next one, what is the problem?!

    Oh, thank you. Freddie is right here!

    Happy T-Day and hugs!

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  15. Wow! ~ look at those eggs in your nest ~ what a delight of nature ~ hope they all survive and thrive ~ What a great job of cleaning up Mother Earth you and your family did! ~ Kudos to you ~ Xo

    Wishing you laughter and love in your day,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  16. Litter is one of my pet hates. I know some of it blows from bins on windy days but the rubbish that people throw down really gets my goat. You deserved the delicious cake for your hard work. Lovely art as always.

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  17. Cant wait to see those birds pop out of those eggs, what a precarious position that nest is built on
    Bridget #14

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  18. oh that little nest, so precarious, I too hope it is safe up there. Good on you for cleaning up all that trash on Earth Day. Love that Freddie page, beautiful colours, I always feel sorry for him, he seemed so unhappy. Happy T Day! Elle/EOTC xx

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  19. I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I am afraid the garbage just keeps on coming. Thank goodness for people who pick up. I would love a piece of that cake. Have a nice day today.

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  20. What a great way to sped Earth Day and day after, tool Love the photo of the nest and eggs. I really love your journal page for Art Journey Journal theme and for TIOT. Thanks for a lovely post. Happy T Day, Linda.

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  21. Lovely art as usual, Linda.
    And then such a fun way to spend earth day! Kyra seems to be quite a character. Great that you could both do this fun work. We used to go up the mountain (in Italy) once a year in a group to collect litter. You wouldn’t believe that even mountaineers litter. Unbelievable!
    You deserved that piece of cake. Even two as far as I’m concerned.
    Happy belated T Day,
    Hugs,
    Lisca

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  22. A fabulous journal page. Well done for the litter picking, I hate to see litter, so selfish of people to expect others to clean up after them. Thanks for joining in at Try It On Tuesday

    Joan

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  23. I love your journal pages Linda! Litter is such a big problem everywhere - what is it that stops people taking their rubbish home. It sounds as though you made a big difference! You certainly earned your cake! Love those impatient finches - I hope all of the eggs hatch! Belated Happy T Day,

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  24. I love your journal pages Linda! Litter is such a big problem everywhere - what is it that stops people taking their rubbish home. It sounds as though you made a big difference! You certainly earned your cake! Love those impatient finches - I hope all of the eggs hatch! Belated Happy T Day,

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  25. Wow! ~ a Journal completed ~ way to go ~ love the Art Journey Journal page ~ great song ~ Xo

    Wishing you love and laughter in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  26. Google is messing with the comments ~ I did comment ~ but here I am again ~ your for fun collage art is great ~ and your cupcake sounds yummy ~ Xo

    Wishing you love and laughter in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  27. A very good way to spend earth day, if everyone did their bit the world would be a much cleaner place. I'm glad my children all grown up now know where litter should go. Great choice of song for Alison's AJJ theme, Freddy was a magnificent entertainer with a grand voice. Hugs Tracey x

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  28. Lovely artwork, Linda! Beautiful colours and sentiments. Those little eggs are such treasures. You must be so proud of Kyra. What an accomplishment. Well done to all of you.

    -Soma

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  29. I wonder how your little birdies are doing in that lovely nest? ~ Happy Weekend to you ~ Xo

    Wishing you laughter and love in your days,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!