C A N C E R
Today's a good day to ground

 your fluctuating emotions, Cancer.

Step back from the drama you create

[for yourself] and evaluate your inner state.

Are you fooling yourself into thinking

 everything's okay when it really isn't

[or it's not okay when it really is]?

 Be honest with your highest truths

 and ground yourself back in reality.

Write down your thoughts.

[emphasis added]

Funny how quite often my horoscope is so in-tune with what's going on at the moment. I should preface to say it's not a 'grab the paper every morning and see how to plan my day' thing. It catches my eye on Facebook and frequently causes raised eyebrows which, perhaps is what's causing the wrinkled forhead.

I have been in a quandary about my art business.  Had to recently do some proverbial 'house cleaning' and eliminate a few gallery/art centers from my list of things to do.  It took me two years to realize taking on multiple locations to keep furnished with artwork, along with the outdoor events and bookkeeping (not to mention, uhm ... painting), was just too much on my plate.  I think I'm currently at a manageable place.  Now, I need to re-evaluate what I offer.  Perhaps drop a few print sizes and do some streamlining - especially for storage purposes. 

Another area of focus is cropping up as the start of hurricane season is only a few months away and it's time to take stock of supplies and flooding potential.  What does it hurt to have extra in your pantry to share with family, friends and neighbors?  On the heels of those thoughts are those forming when I watch the news these days about food shortages and oil prices and all those other 'doomsday' scenarios, which I've heard since I was old enough to ask daddy what "run for the hills" really meant! 

Whether it's business, health, financial matters, rebellious children, death, gas prices, the grocery receipt, another birthday .... : ) or what to wear to the Ball, I remember the calm my grandmother exuded and the scriptural prayer she always murmured throughout the day.  Come what may ...

“Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything

by prayer and supplication,

 with thanksgiving,

 let your requests

 be made known to God;

 and the peace of God,

 which surpasses

 all understanding,

will guard your hearts

 and minds through Christ Jesus.”

 (Philippians 4:6)



It's that time again!   I have five outdoor art events lined up for the spring!  My favorite Steele Magnolia's quote applies right now .... "I'm gonna be busier than a one-armed paper hanger" for the next three months!  Looking forward to meeting a lot of new folks and sharing my new pieces (when I finally have some new pieces to share)!  

Schedule of events: 

February 12

Church Street East Art Festival

Cathedral Square, downtown Mobile

March 24-27

Festival of Flowers

Providence Hospital, Mobile

April 8, 9, 10

Arts Alive!

Cathedral Square, Mobile

April 16

Arts & Crafts Festival

St. Francis Episcopal Church

Dauphin Island

May 7 & 8

Art in the Park

Foley


http://www.tkellerart.com

02-14-11  Sooooooo ... I got lectured yesterday by my orthopedic doctor.  I had a follow-up visit (which was actually six months overdue, but I told him if it made him feel any better, my dogs' appointments were four months overdue!  He wasn't amused!).   Anywho ... this visit was to follow-up with my back/neck issues and my latest problem with my shoulder.

After getting x-rays and a diagnosis of bursitis and a bit of a rotator cuff issue, followed by a cortisone injection (which hasn't proved to be 100% yet), he went into a spiel about .... well, it went like this ...

"Back in the days of Jesus, people only lived to be around 36 years old.  Thru the marvels of medicine, food, sanitation, etc., we live a lot longer, but our joints and ligaments are still the same.  They continue to age at an alarming rate, moreso if added weight is part of the equation.  I'm not telling you that you need to lose weight, I'm just saying the extra weight will cause you to age faster structurally.  You need to be more active and do at least 100 exercises everyday."

Are you serious?  100 exercises everyday.  Whatever!  Who has time for that?  I told him I enjoyed walking when the pain was under control.  He responded,  "Walking  isn't considered exercise after two weeks into it".   Huh?   Well, anyway, you get the gest of how that visit went.

So ... I'm setting off on a journey he said would be "incredibly hard" to accomplish at my age.  I love a challenge.  Where there's a will, there's a way, I always say. 

I'm giving myself 48 hours to get into the right mindset (that should clear the hurdle of Valentine's Day and Date Night).  Making a plan. Cleaning out the fridge and pantry.  Dusting off the treadmill.  Gathering my exercise and yoga DVDs.  Gotta psyche myself up for this new journey.  It's gonna be fruits, veggies and protein for awhile.  Can I just keep my Coke and chocolate addiction?  PLEASE!  I know.  I know.

Can I accomplish my goals with this food group?

I thought I'd share with you a bit of what has been keeping me busy the last couple of weeks!  I got my glue on by creating masquerade masks for the Mardi Gras season here in Mobile.  I made twelve from various materials ... but accepted my own the challenge of making them without the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold (besides, I prefer pink over purple and untraditional greens!).  They turned out pretty well, I think!  I may even wear one to the Inca Ball!

I've also been busily working on a commission for a client in Atlanta.  It's a large acrylic piece.  You can follow the progress on my art site at http://www.tkellerart.com/.  Click on the tab at the top which says "Abby's Painting" if you'd like a peek! 

Other things I'm trying to accomplish include preparing for upcoming outdoor Spring art show events.  I'll post a schedule of these show dates on my art site soon!  Lots to do and little time to do it!  I also have a couple of projects under-wraps which I can't expose right now! Stay tuned!

Nobody grows old merely by

living a number of years.

We grow old by deserting our ideals.

Years may wrinkle the skin,

but to give up enthusiasm

wrinkles the soul.

~

Discipline is the abilitiy to continue

after the enthusiasm is gone.