Monday Tidings

There are so many things to write about today that I almost can't decide.

In reality, it's not an almost.  I really can't decide.  Instead of picking, I'm just going to write about a bunch of stuff.

The main things I've been doing lately is taking pictures.  Like on Sunday, we got home from a little adventure and I put the Chick down for a wee nap and unloaded 101 pictures (not Dalmations) from my camera.

I said to Zoe and Blueberry, "What will happen when I'm in Italy?  Think of all the pictures I'm going to take while I'm there!"  (Newsflash:  in case you'd forgotten or didn't know, I am going to Italy in just a little over a month.  Ummmmm.....SQUEAL!)

So, here are a couple of highlights from the most recent picture taking extravaganzas.

First, we have some pictures of water like things and water loving birds.  I work at the Erie County Public Library, which is right on the bay of Lake Erie.  It is a lovely place to be, especially at lunch or dinnertime when I get to go for a stroll with my camera.  Here's a few shots from last week.

Next are some cats.  I haven't posted any cat pictures in awhile, so I'll just let you gaze upon their beauty.  These pics are of the Fresh Cats.  Miss Emmie (who is not so fresh, honestly) wasn't feeling like being a star.  You know how it is some days.  Your hair isn't quite right or whatever and you just don't want to be the star.

This next set of pictures is from a cemetery that I used to be quite fond of when I was younger.  My best friend, Ann, and I used to ride our bikes there and hang out with a particular (dead) chap named Hiram Augustus Bell, who was some distant relation of Ann's mother's.  We would picnic there and sometimes even sleep.

Next is a Grasshopper that was not so hoppy that I found on our mailbox.  He was missing a leg.  Anyone know a maker of prosthetic bug legs?  Contact this fellow:

Finally, here is a picture of a couple of Rabbits who live in this Lilypad.  You'll notice that one of the Rabbits has longer ears than the other.  Don't worry.  That's normal.

Flip Friday

Last week, you got a great Rabbit Movie for Flip Friday that starred Zoe's terribly cute lips.

A couple of weeks before that, you were there FIRSTHAND, as Blueberry tried to dig Her way to China or somewhere.

Now, this week, you are probably thinking that another Rabbit Movie would be nice. 

The thing is, though, that it is that time of year.

(That time = both of the Girls are molting.)

When They are molting, they prefer being kept out of the public eye.

(Well, how would you feel if you were molting and someone was following you around trying to make a movie of you in which your fur looked....substandard?  Rabbits are perfectionists.  They don't have time to fool around with movies that don't show Them at Their Absolute Best.)

The Girls' suggestion, then, was a Cat Movie.  Zoe said to Toby and Daisy, who were nearby and not doing Anything Important, which as Blueberry pointed out, is totally Typical of cats, "Do something cute, will you?  We need a movie for Flip Friday, and it's not going to be of Us. Get Lilly to help you if you want."

Here, then, is what transpired:

Best Friends from marcy hall on Vimeo.
Well, there you have it. Flip Friday is over for another week.

Don't fret. Rabbits will return next week

With a Vengeance!!

Happy Weekend. No movies if you're molting, now. No Movies!

Welcome to Wednesday

Well, it's Wednesday.

(I know it seems kind of dumb to say that, but you never know who's reading for whom it may not be Wednesday, and that fact would end up making the title of this post seem a little stupid.)

On Monday, we did not discuss anything Remotely Rabbity.  And, much to the chagrin of The Ones who live here, today's post will sadly also be distinctly Non Rabbity.  However, in an effort to appease Certain Creatures, I may sprinkle a smattering of Rabbit Photos throughout.

On Monday, I also told you that I would tell you a little about the projects I've been working on. 

I've been trying not to be too strict with myself about What To Do and When.  That's hard for me.  I am a girl who likes to have goals and end products.  I am a girl who likes to see a culmination to effort. 

Raise your hands, all you out there, if you have a hard time Doing Things Just For the Sake of Doing Things.

COME ON!!!!  LET ME SEE THOSE HANDS!!!

I thought so.

Imagine, then, the difficulty of being partway into the writing of a novel, which I am, and realizing that though you can barely stand to set it aside, due to the simple fact that you've started it, that it's not the right thing to be writing. 

That's what I decided the other day.  I decided that I needed to start a new writing project that is about the issues that the Chick and I are dealing with right now.  Kind of a memoir of our life together thus far, about our trials and tribulations and how we deal with them.  Which is sometimes well, and sometimes not so well.  I've decided to do this because I think that, sadly, the Chick is not that unusual in how she feels about herself and the world, and that people, especially couples, would benefit from reading about our experiences if even through the lens of just having others with whom to identify.

And, that, is the project I have decided to work on now.

That and photography.  And, whatever else comes up.  :)

Of course, I could change my mind tomorrow.  And that's part of the point of my Year of Savoring experiences. 

The point is that I don't hold myself to ideas or expectations.  If I feel called to write this book I am currently working on, then that's what I will do.  If I decide to change my mind, so be it.

I'm trying Something New, and I'm letting go of Expectations.

I'm breaking all my Rules.

What Rules are YOU breaking lately?

The Year of Fun: Pictures of Stuff

I still haven't written about my new camera yet.  I have just shown you pictures that I've taken with it.

Well, today's going to be no exception. 

I'm just going to show you some pictures again, and why?  I've been working on a couple of projects that I will share about on Wednesday, and The Rabbits were not interested in writing about a camera since that would not involve anything Rabbity.

Well, that's what they are like.

The first two pictures are of a thing that Rabbits are not fond of.

A HAWK!!  A baby Red-Tail to be exact.  We saw him while on a walk, and I got some great pictures that really show off his cool pants!

Also, we've made many trips to the waters of Lake Erie lately for refreshing and cleansing swimming.  The last couple of times we've been there, it's been a little stormy and the wind has made waves that make our Great Lake seem more like an Ocean!

Here are a couple of pictures of the water.  I chaged them to black and whites to add a little Drama!

See? DRAMA!

Hawks and Water. That's what I have for today.

VERY UNRABBITY!

"What's the Big Idea?"

If any of you have anything Rabbity to pass on to poor Zoe, please do so....NOW!!

THANK YOU.

Flip Friday

This week, at some point, Miss Zoe pointed out to me this Fact:

There has not been a ZOE MOVIE in quite some time.

Like, probably a couple of weeks at least.  And, what is that about?

Does anyone know?

Because I don't.

In honor of Zoe's question, then, let us remedy that fact with an Old Fashioned Zoe The Rabbit Movie!!!!

Zoe Moves Her Lips from marcy hall on Vimeo.

Have a great weekend!

Two Fun Things

Today's post is about...FUN.

That's right.  FUN.

It is also about....RABBITS and CATS.

Well, really, what IS fun if it's not Rabbits and Cats?  Right?

First, we have a painting.  This is not a painting made here on the premises of the Lilypad. It is an out of town sort of painting from Avid Rabbit and Cat Fan, Miss Ashlyn!

Ashlyn is a regular reader of Ordinary Enchantment and a Special Friend to All the Lilypad Animals.  She has dared to render paintings and drawings of even the most elusive of the Lilypad Cats....Miss Emmie.  You may remember THIS POST from when it was Ashlyn's Birthday.  It was a Special Day.  That was also the day Blueberry decided to move in permanently. 

Today, The Rabbits and I feature a painting Miss Ashlyn has painted of the Lilypad's FRESHEST Cat, Miss Daisy.  This painting arrived in the mail the other day.  As you know, we love when Mailman Rick brings good mail, so it was a pretty darned exciting day!

Without further delay, then, I present....Miss Daisy by Artist ASHLYN!!

Nice going, Ashlyn!  

You've captured my beauty exquisitely!

The second thing on today's agenda is and item of the Rabbit variety.  Are you ready for this?

(You may want to sit down first...)

This is my new water bottle:

I'm sure you can't read the bottom.  It says "Rabbits like flowers that smell like poo."

HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Oh.....Sorry....

(Some things are funnier to me, of course, than they are to Other People.)

At any rate, we hope you enjoyed today's FUN THINGS!!!!  Thanks to Ashlyn for Her Support of Cats and Rabbits!!!

A Fresh Year of Savoring Life

If you have been keeping up with the Blisschick's Blog, then you know that we've had some rough times here of late.  Trying to deal with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and its triggers makes for a lot of anxiety, unrest, and an inability to follow good schedules of sleeping, eating, etc.

Meanwhile, and obviously, as I wrote about last week, my creative life has also gotten off track.  I have a hard time focusing on what I want to do.  I also get caught up easily in the "shoulds" and "where will this get me" patterns of thinking.  I have too many expectations.

Not good.

And so, on the way home from a little day trip the other day, the Chick and I made a decision:  That I will take a year and let go of expectations for myself and my art and just PLAY!!!

This is what that means:  I WILL SAVOR THE EXPERIENCE OF MAKING ART, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.  I will explore creativity with no thoughts about where it might get me.   I will do whatever I darn well please:  I will take pictures, I will paint, I will play my guitar, I will look for new things to try.  I just got the greatest book out of the library about making sock dolls.  I'm going to do that.

I'm going to try anything and everything and not worry about it.  I'm instituting a year of FUN EXPLORATION and SAVORING.

WHO'S WITH ME?

And so it began yesterday, August 1st, and it will last for the year.  On August 1st next year, I will look back at my path, not see where I got to, but simply to see what I've done.

So, first stop:  FUN with my new camera.  I'll tell you more about the camera itself in the not too distant future, but for now, here are some pictures from a hike we took yesterday in nearby Wintergreen Gorge:

Have a great Monday.  Fill it with FUN!

SAVOR IT!!