Neighborhood walk

Real posts at The Simple Year.

"Art," spring has sprung edition

Oh, nothing, just the view from my house.

Deep thoughts by Johanna Walker

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist
once he grows up." --Pablo Picasso

Johanna's latest canvas. "Art never sleeps, Mom," she said when I dared suggest she take a break from the tiny lettering that was starting to stress her out this evening. "Unless it's a guy named Art," she added thoughtfully.


The end. ;)

I wish I was this cute...

The sound of silence

Honoring my dead

There's something that I like very much about El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. It's not a big stretch for me, since as a Catholic, I'm well versed in All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2). Except our observances aren't quite as hands-on.

Since my grandpa passed away on June 15, I've been thinking of "my dead" a lot. My list isn't long, and it's mostly made up of grandparents, but it's kind of a relief to have a day where it's okay to actively think about them and not feel like you're bumming everyone out with your sadness.

I don't really have anything else to say about that, except that I decided to make a couple of art journal pages dedicated to the souls I'm thinking about, not just on the Day of the Dead, but every day. (I know only one is showing, but the other is for our little peanut, and that's not something I want to share.)

Grandpa, Grammie, Gramps, Aunt, Uncle.

"Art," look at these pictures of Skilly edition

I had SUCH  a good streak going this month of actually posting on time, and that was on purpose, 'cause August was such a waste. But the world was against me this week, or, at least, time was not on my side, so here we are: A post that isn't even a real post. Well, we do what we can.

Which is to say: Skilly pictures!

Eighty-five percent of my Instagram account is pictures like this. 

'Cause LOOK AT THIS FACE. 

He's kind of terrible about keeping up with his assigned chores, though.

(Busy at work is all. That's what I get for trying.)

The end.

Quick, somebody get me this

That's my hand and my car in the reflection. NOT what I'm talking about...

Tuesday "Art," Johanna's Cubist (?) painting edition

Wednesday "Art," look at my cat edition

I actually bought this and I'm not even sorry

You guys, I might be a minimalist, but when I see an embroidered tea towel like this one...
it's no brainer. That was $3 well spent.

'Doughnut Lottery'

I've mentioned before that Johanna is a powerhouse of creativity, and, thanks to an after school program that ensures she gets her homework done BEFORE she even gets home (uh, that's awesome), she found herself at a bit of a loose end the other night and ended up making what I'm sure will be the Next Big Board Game.

May I introduce you to Doughnut Lottery?

Homemade game board with doughnut markers!

She reused a shoe box for optimum game storage.

How to play. Deceptively simple.

If you like board games that have no real point and where the worst that happens is that you are awed by a cat cookie and lose a turn, then this board game is for you! Johanna says that all you have to do is go around the board 10 times (and then changes it to 12... then 15...). Whoever ends up with the most "dough-llars" (um, that's a play on "dollars" in case you're not a fourth grader) wins it all! Since she didn't make nearly enough dough-llars to cover the insane amounts of cash giveaways included in the game, you'd think that would shorten things up a bit.

But wow, would you be wrong.

I land on "Awed by cat cookies" EVERY TIME.
It's like this board game has read my diary.

"Risk it all" is kind of overselling it. It's more like,
"risk nothing, just get more dough-llars."

"I LOVE this game!" Johanna can be heard saying whenever one of us breaks down and agrees to play with her. She was so excited to have a friend over yesterday so she could play it with someone she's not related to.

Side note: Her little pal Hayley was way more interested in why she made a game, why there weren't more dough-llars ("You're cheap. Let's just make more!"), and whether or not she could be the pink doughnut. Extra mom points for me because I got the girls actual doughnuts to eat while they played. I know. My awesomeness shocks even me sometimes.

While I can't take orders (because there is only one of these games in existence), this is just a note to say that you're more than welcome to come over and play with her yourself because jeez, you guys, there are only so many rounds of this I can take I believe in spreading as much Doughnut Lottery joy as possible into the world.

'Cause I'm a giver.

Wednesday "Art," our morning view edition

Oh, just a little something Eric took from the deck before work.
It almost looks fake. Mt. Hood is AWESOME.

Monday "Art," the real meaning of Christmas edition

The Nativity... on a trampoline.

This might be the greatest thing I've ever seen. P.S. During our last wind and rain storm, the Holy Family was blown off the trampoline and into a heap, but I'm happy to report the family to whom this belongs has it all set up again... only with Mary and Joseph switching places.

You know what, you guys? You do what you can. This scene never fails to cheer me up every single time I drive past.

Merry almost Christmas!

12/13/14 = Happy 10th Birthday, Johanna

 

Love you, precious girl.

Friday "Art," it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas edition

Taken at our local Papa Murphy's Pizza.
I have no idea what's going on here.

Friday "Art," emo rain edition

The dust on my dash adds to the poetry. ;)
P.S. Abby says I don't know what emo means. Pretty sure I do.

Thursday "Art," Happy Thanksgiving, Internet! edition

Oh, just a little something Abby whipped up on a snow day last week.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

Friday "Art," Monday vs. Thursday edition

Monday. iPod Touch. Instagram filter.

Thursday. Big girl camera. No filter.

News flash: I found out yesterday that my ankle boots aren't all that great in the snow. Wet socks are kind of disgusting. Ah, well.

P.S. Sorry, I know we're photo-heavy this week, but you guys, I'm so tired. Too much writing. Too many deadlines. Too much reading Mara's book, which, incidentally, you should go download right now. And that's not my bias talking, either. It's fantastic.

Monday "Art," I actually meant to post this Friday but then I updated my Mac to the new OS X Yosemite and it's taken me this long to figure out what's going on with that edition

Manual setting.

Auto. Same piece of sky. Interesting.

On a related and yet unrelated note, I'm having SERIOUS second thoughts and wish I'd just left my operating system alone. Hindsight!