Tag: FMSphotoaday

April Photo A Day: On Your Mind

After a few days of over-saturating my brain with news media, sporadically pausing for escapes to nature, today I’m continuing to read and be absorbed by Cyndi Lauper’s memoir that Tim loaned me. I remember how mesmerized I was the first time I saw the video for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Along with her unique appeal and catchy song, when Steve Forbert, a singer/songwriter who I loved, suddenly showed up as the boy with flowers among an entire cast of wacky characters, I was hooked.

It’s inspiring to read how hard she worked to hold on to her creative vision through her lean years, and I continue to admire her willingness to express herself. She calls it having a big fat mouth. I call it brave and honest.

Prompt from FMS Photo A Day.

April Photo A Day: Busy

I have two paintings to ship, and I’ve just had another one commissioned. Good news, right? Also, Tim and I are making final decisions and doing edits on submissions for BEST GAY ROMANCE 2014. But really, the busiest thing at The Compound for the last ten days has been this:

Many years ago, I got rid of a ton of small appliances that were rarely used and took up space in the kitchen. When Jim found out I didn’t have a blender, HE WOULD NOT HAVE IT. In truth, this blender he gave us has been used quite a bit since it arrived. It used to do all the dog veggie cubes when we were feeding them raw. And these past few days, it’s been put into service making fruit and veggie smoothies and various stuffings that were part of the raw detox thing.

So here’s to you, Busy Blender. Thank you. And oh yeah, thank Jim, too.

Prompt from FMS Photo A Day.

April Photo A Day: Alone

Remember how I used to always go to the downtown post office on Tax Night and watch all the people scurrying? I haven’t done it for a couple of years. However, my neighborhood post office was hopping in the middle of the day today, so I got my people watching fix there.

Thoughts of the events in Boston have weighed on me as they have many people today. I only watched a little of the news. It’s too much. Each year I seem to quote T.S. Eliot’s first line of The Wasteland, “April is the cruellest month.” And each year April seems to provide another reason to feel that way.

Maybe today’s theme was the right one. I took my camera out and was drawn to a place I used to know well–from a distance. I spent many hours sitting on the window-seat in a hospital room staring down at the rose gardens of the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. I’d never actually visited it until today. I went there alone, to sit and reflect and draw strength from nature. I know that it will become a place I’ll go to often now that I’ve experienced its beauty and serenity.

I found a reminder of an old teacher there.


“I have nothing new to teach the world.
Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Namaste.

Prompt from FMS Photo A Day.

April Photo A Day: Water

As I’ve said before, I love water. And I love salads. But now, on Day 7 of this raw food detox, I’ll admit that I’m getting weary of so many salads, even if they are all different from one another and tasty.

I don’t miss meat, and I love vegetables. But I miss cooked vegetables. And it’s weird to make meals for Tom and Tim and eat different meals myself. This photo is of their salad. Mine was precut for me by Lindsey, who’s been a champ at following the plan, putting meals together for herself, Rhonda and me, and making sure I have the right ingredients for the meals I prepare for myself.

Tonight–catch me!–because tonight, I get a vegan, organic chocolate chip cookie. I’m pretty sure it’ll be one of the best cookies I’ve ever eaten.

Prompt from FMS Photo A Day.

April Photo A Day: View From Your Bed

Whatever way I’m facing when I wake up, I see art. I was going to try to capture that in a photo, but as soon as I sat on the bed, the Nap Committee called an emergency meeting.


Tim’s dogs Penny and Pixie and our dog Guinness. Margot was of course under the bed listening to Morrissey through her earbuds.

Prompt from FMS Photo A Day.