#3082 PDIN 2 - flowers

 

flowers

Hello! Today the photo prompt I chose for myself is flowers. Here is a pic I took this morning of the large and beautiful salvia plant in the back flower bed. When we bought this plant, she was a small thing, and MT planted her smack up against the back fence with a different plant on either side of her. Now she is so big she is crowding out the poppy on the left and the pincushion flower on the right. 

Salvia is in the sage family, and her leaves smell really nice. In addition, the pollinators really love this plant, so there are always bees, butterflies, and in the summer, even hummingbirds buzzing around her. I learned about this plant at Red Butte Garden, of course. There are so many different varieties of salvia. This one might be Salvia nemorosa 'Mainacht' but I'm not totally sure. It's pretty, and we liked it so much we bought two more plants for the bed closer to the house. This is a perennial and thrives in full sun. They are also fairly water-wise, so they don't need a lot of water. 

Here is a different variety of salvia that is blooming in the Herb Garden at RBGA.

big red salvia plant

I don't remember what variety this one is, but it is HUGE! I was walking along the path closer to the red tree back there, and the tall, bright red flowers caught my eye and I had to take a look at it. Bees were buzzing all around it, and it was so pretty. Obviously it has lots of room to grow. I'm pretty sure next time I go to the Garden (probably tomorrow if it's not raining) this plant will likely be trimmed down. When I was at the Garden last week, the horticulture crew was working hard in the Children's Garden area to get the beds ready for winter. They were raking, pulling, and generally cleaning up. 

And yes, I am aware that certain types of salvia are illegal because of hallucinogenic properties. My plant and this red flowery plant are not in that category.

Maybe I have become a little bit of a plant nerd since volunteering at RBGA.

Here is my watercolor interpretation of the flowers in my yard:

my version of impressionism

You can see I painted today's art right under the painting from yesterday, which means I was looking at yesterday's painting quite a lot. I know it's not very good. I felt a little down about it, to tell you the truth. I started questioning myself, but then I thought,  "Don't worry about it! Sure, you might share your drawings here and there, and folks might scoff and think they could do better, but most folks don't even try." I pulled up some quotes on Pinterest to keep me going:

These are not art I made. They are pins from Pinterest and I think they are cute. 

There you have it. If you come back tomorrow, you'll probably see some more weird, imperfect art.

Have a great day!

#3081 PDIN 1 - post daily in November

 

This month’s wee calendar

Happy November! This month, I would like to post here every day. Last year I called it PDIN - Post Daily in November - so I will do that again because it feels right. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what to write every day, so this month I set up a challenge for myself: take a photo every day. I devised a list of prompts, and I figured I could post the photos and that would give me something to write about, too. For another level of fun, I will be drawing/painting/doodling from the photo, too. Some days will likely even have anecdotes from the day or random thoughts. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

My photo prompt for today is selfie. You might think I’m in my Red Riding Hood era, but I’m actually reppin’ the University of Utah, just ranked the #3 NCAA football team in the nation. Go Utes!

It’s me. Hi!

I took the photo in my backyard by my pretty maple tree that is showing off her autumn color. 

Here is the doodle - a partial blind drawing, meaning I only looked at the paper a couple of times while I was drawing. I am also using this painting for Jill Badonsky’s prompt today which is for a haunted face. I don’t know that this is drawing is a haunted face, but it is kind of scary. 

Scary face selfie

The best thing that happened today is that my BFF LA called! She was driving home to Poky from visiting her son and her grandkids for Halloween. We chatted for two hours! It was wonderful. You know you’ve got a good friend when you haven’t talked for a while, and you just fall into conversation like you’re picking up where you left off a couple of days ago. It’s the best. 

November is coming in chilly and wet here in SLC. It is gloomy and perfect for sitting at my desk, painting, writing, and reading. I also very much enjoy the “fall back” time change. I wish standard time was the norm. 

That’s all I’ve got for today. I hope you’ll come back tomorrow.

Xo

#3080 three things: TBR prep, wrap, and pull

 

A little while ago I wrote that I'd bought several new books when Lizzie and Mom were visiting, and I think I talked about wrapping the books in the To Be Read (TBR) pile. I finally did it! Here's how it went:

the books

1. Prep. I have ten books in my physical TBR pile. I bought six of them when Mom and Lizzie were here. The other four I've had for awhile and just haven't gotten around to reading them. Rest assured - there are many more books in my house that I haven't read. I just pulled out the old four to read first. You can also see my supplies for wrapping.

that's a wrap!

2. All wrapped up. While I was watching Game 4 of the World Series, I wrapped each book, then gave each of them a number. I only know for certain what book number five is - the Leigh Bardugo book - because it's bigger than all the others. The rest of them, I have no idea which is which. I brought all the books upstairs to my sanctuary and carefully placed them on a shelf. Then I wrote the numbers one through ten on little bits of paper, and I included two extra bits that say "Go to the library" just for fun. 

choice number one

3. The pull and reveal. I closed my eyes and plunged my hand into the container holding the numbers and pulled out number 8. Let's see what it is!

here it is!

I will be reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I have read several books by this author, and I like them. I enjoy these historical fiction stories about Chinese women. I have had this book for a looooooooong time. I bought it at Borders to give you an idea of how long it has been on my bookshelf. So many books, so little time. 

You might be asking yourself, "Sandy, why did you go to all the trouble of wrapping, etc?" I'll tell you why: I have a case of analysis paralysis when it comes to my books. What am I in the mood for? Should I read the one I've had the longest, or the most recent purchase? By wrapping each book and giving it a number, I commit to reading the book whose number I pulled, and that's just how it is. Plus it's fun and it's not hurting anyone, and it makes me feel excited and full of anticipation. So there you have it.

Happy reading!

xo

#3079 my October art gallery

 

It's been awhile since we had art time, so I'd like to show you what I've been doing in October. It's been a pretty busy art month because I have been participating in an Instagram challenge called #cozycreatechallenge. It was devised by an artist I've been following, @trishaiford. A lot of people on IG post videos of them doing the art, but that's not for me. I don't mind posting the pics, because I know only seven of you will pay attention, and I can handle that level of scrutiny. 

First, here are four pieces I did from prompts given to me by Jill the Artist (Jill Badonsky.) Her prompts are fun, and her group, Underground Highway to Creative Results, is full of nice people. 

Feel the Vibration

Autumn Art Quilt

Single Line Haunted House

Mystical Mushrooms

This next one was my wee calendar practice page. I ended up doing the cat with the jack o' lantern on his head.

October wee calendar practice

October wee calendar

These are the #cozycreatechallenge pieces. I do several on a page because I think it's fun that way. You can probably click on a photo if you want to see the page enlarged.

clock, muffin, books, candle, pies, and a comfy chair

blanket, hobby, scarf, woven basket, footwear, acorn, and lamp

mugs, sweaters, leaves, spices, and a vintage key with a giant keyhole

postage stamp, heirloom, apple, teapot, harvest, and socks

There are some I like better than others, of course. Some just make me laugh and think I need to find a new hobby. It's like playing golf though: you hit a lot of shots (if you are like me) and if you hit one or two good ones, it makes you feel like you know what you're doing and you want to keep hitting. So I'm going to keep drawing and painting and hoping for those one or two good ones. Any time with a pen or brush in my hand is fun, so I'm thankful for that. 

Have a great week!

xo

#3078 three things: July, August, and September

 

Since I was writing about The Trip for so long, I didn't talk about what I did this summer. Here are the highlights.

1. July. The month was a scorcher. That's what I remember the most about it: that I was hot all the time. There was also a lot of live music in my life; I volunteered at six concerts at Red Butte Garden, and attended one show* as a patron. Just for funsies, here is a list of the artists I saw:

• Wynton Marsalis
• Wood Brothers/JJ Grey and Mofro
• KALEO
• Gin Blossoms/Blues Traveller
• Maren Morris
• Alabama Shakes*
• Melissa Etheridge/Wynonna Judd

The other big thing in July was a trip to La Mirada to start a road trip to Dixon. It was time to bury the ashes of my aunt and uncle, so Lizzie and I drove to Dixon and met up with our cousins Rick and David. We had a nice, small memorial service with family and a few friends, and it felt like good closure, and that Mary and Dewey are where they need to rest in peace.

MT hiked the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, Canada. He was gone a couple of weeks. 

2. August. This month was stormy. I volunteered at three concerts and saw one as a patron*.

• Fitz and the Tantrums*
• Andy Grammer
• Interpol
• Ray LaMontagne

I went on another road trip in August. MT and I drove to Mammoth Lakes, CA to meet up with Lizzie, then we went to the start of the John Muir Trail so MT could hike. Lizzie and I drove back to La Mirada where I stayed for a week with Mama and Lizzie. 

When I was home, I watched a lot of TV. T and I watched some Game of Thrones, Ted Lasso, and all of Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston, 5 Star Weekend, and Widows Bay. Since it was hot or rainy, it was nice to veg out on the couch and watch TV with my son and the dogs.

3. September. I only had one concert to work this month, Brandon Flowers. Other than that, I spent a lot of time finishing up my travel journal for The Trip. I drank a lot of coffee, apparently: I noted 11 times when I went out for coffee this month. I took Harley to a new vet who seems to have the diagnosis right. Marty got back safe and sound from his JMT hike. Mama and Lizzie came to visit at the end of the month and we kept ourselves entertained with sight-seeing around SLC and in Park City. 

In addition to the concerts, I also had my regular volunteer shifts as a docent on Sunday mornings and bloom recording every week, plus I had a shift at the Intermountain Hoop Dance Competition. It was a busy summer.

xo

#3077 not a redhead anymore?

selfie in August 2026

When I was at the dermatologist's office earlier in the week, I was chatting with Kelsey, the medical assistant, about all my spots. I said, "Well, I am a pale redhead who didn't always take care of her skin." Kelsey said, "Yeah, you've got all that pale hair." In my head, I was like, what? 

When the doctor was examining me, she asked if I had any red in my hair. I was like, "Yes, I am a redhead! Or I used to be, anyway. Now I've got my old lady hairs that are sort of strawberry blond." The doctor responded in some way that I don't even remember because I was sort of obsessing about the fact that this stranger that I just met didn't know I had red hair. 

Then I thought about people at work who didn't know I'd been a redhead. When those people saw photos of me from earlier days, they would say, "Holy crap, Sandy! Your hair was red!" People who knew me for a long time would laugh, and so did I, but I was secretly sad, too. 

There were times, about 20 years ago, that I paid Lanna (my hair stylist) to put light streaks in my hair, and even longer ago, like 40 years ago, I would put Sun-In on my hair to lighten it up in the summer. Now Mother Nature is saying, "Oh, you wanted light hair back in the day? You got it, sis."

It's weird to notice yourself get older, and see the changes to your body. 

And yeah, I could have Lanna make my hair red again, but I won't. I have accepted that I am now strawberry blond. 

 

#3076 three things: skin canc*r, live music, and snow

It's been a week. Let's get into it.

1. Skin canc*r. I have been a pale-skinned redhead for most of my life. Currently, I am a pale-skinned strawberry blond as the red fades. I have always enjoyed getting a tan, and haven't always taken care of my skin in the proper manner. (I mean, I am Gen X and we did love to slather baby oil on ourselves to bake in the sun.) In the past few months, I have noticed a few (seven) spots that I felt should be looked at by a dermatologist. I have already had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my body, so I am familiar with what It looks like. I called to get an appointment with a new dermatologist on Monday, and she had a cancellation so I was able to see her Tuesday morning. She checked my seven spots, and decided three of them needed a biopsy. She also did a full body scan and found two other spots to biopsy. On my left arm had two spots, the top of my head was another, and there was a spot on each of my legs, just above the ankles. She also froze a couple of spots on my face, one on my right arm, and four on my right hand. When the lidocaine wore off, I was hurting, especially the top of my head. All the five spots bled a lot, too. 

The results came back really quickly, within 24 hours of the exam. Two of the spots, one on my left arm and one on my left leg, are basal cell carcinomas. Those areas will be treated with a topical cream that I will apply for a maximum of six weeks or until the "expected outcome of oozy, red, crusty skin is achieved." Sounds attractive, doesn't it? The other three spots will be frozen and monitored during my appointments. 

Bummer, but I'm glad to know and get treated.

2. Live music. MT and I went to see Gary Clark Jr. last night at the Eccles Theater downtown. We bought the tickets back in June while we were on The Trip. I'd forgotten that we got really good seats. We were in the fourth row in the orchestra pit. I could have thrown a stuffed animal and hit Gary in the chest, we were so close. I think this is the fifth time we have seen him in concert, and he is just so, so good. I love his voice, and his guitar playing is incredible. He's got a great look, too. Last night he was wearing a dark pink three piece suit, a white button down shirt, and a rakishly-tilted fedora. He has a cool look and vibe, to me. We enjoyed the hell out of the show. 

3. Snow. We've had rain here in SLC for the past three days. Today was nice, though. The skies cleared up enough that I could plainly see snow on the Wasatch Mountains to the east and high up on the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. I think by the end of the day, the snow on the Oquirrhs had melted, but there's a lot of snow on the Wasatch. MT likes to go hiking up there, but the trails he likes are now snow-covered. The snow line is quite high; there isn't any snow in the foothills or the valley. I don't think we'll be getting any valley snow in the next ten days. Rain is fine, but I'm not quite ready for snow in my yard. Still, the first snow of the season, even in the mountains, is worth noting.

BONUS THING: hawks and squirrels. This morning when I was walking the dogs in the neighborhood, we spotted a squirrel in the pecan tree that is two streets up from my house. Mac loves to see the squirrels. She turns into stone and cannot be moved. Harley could mostly care less about the squirrels. 

So the squirrel is hiding a pecan in the ground at the base of the tree when a bird swoops down on it. The squirrel jumped onto the tree and quickly climbed up the trunk. The bird settled on the roof of a car in the driveway next to the tree. I hadn't seen that happen before, so we walked a little closer until we were standing in the middle of the road at the end of the driveway of the pecan tree property. It was close enough to see that the bird on the car was a hawk of some kind, maybe a Cooper's hawk? The squirrel shimmied right up the tree into the leafiest branches and the hawk just sat there on the car. Suddenly, another hawk flew over and the two of them left together. I'm pretty sure that squirrel wet himself, but he was safe, at least for now. 

I have seen hawks a couple of times in the neighborhood, but never that close and not trying to catch a squirrel. Nature, man. It's awesome.