Woodstock Lily Meets Woody

Take a look at what I found in the woods.

Shhhhhh... we're sneaking.

Meet you there.....

I double dog dare you
Not to tap your toes to this.
A wee film from my friend
Who lives in the Scottish Highlands~

Not Weighting Any More

Good week. Great results, plus lost some of me along the weigh. OK the barium was... Ummmmm, shall I say weighty. I believe that crap is closer to being like cement than glue in your pipe-a-roos---gross stuff. But it was kind of fun watching it pass through my physical pipes on the "big screen"... Between taking X-rays, the tech pointed out what everything was inside of me as the chalky, white, alien, tar baby first lit up my esophagus, then my intestines, and finally my large intestine.

I twisted my brow in a knot a few times asking her, "What IS that??" Think about it. We don't really get to see what is inside us. We only see the outside, and inside is an awesome machine we rarely even think about as it functions around the clock....24-7... keeping us alive. Plus, I'm curly, and curvy on the inside. Fluffy. Billowy. TMI?? Sowwy...

Please note:
Being off of sugar can make you feel giddy... stoned like. So a lot of this ramblin' sh*t ain't my fault....

This is how I felt when I quit smoking cigs last December, too. I got a head rush when the oxygen finally hit my brain after my blood veins became unclogged from all the nicotine, and tar. Plain oxygen gave me a buzz. A whole new twist on being an airhead... Some of you who have quit tobacco know just what I'm talking about, and now that I'm giving sugar the ole' stink eye... I've been babbling back and forth to myself like Cheech and Chong in a 70's movie. I guess detoxing has its perks. Anywhooooo... where was I??

Something about weight. Let me think a minute. Oh wait it was about my pipes. I was going to say.... no one tells you how freaky it is to see barium come out the "other" end. It's white with a grayish tint to it. Pasty gray. I felt so alienish. For freaking days. Sowwy, another sugah rush gone bad. I'll clean up my potty mouth.

More weighty matters??? Yes, what was the weighty matter this week?

When I weighed in at the doctors 1.5 weeks ago I weighed 191 lbs. I can barely breathe after typing that. Now that is the alien in my body--the extra weight. Those lines around my eyes--aliens, too, dang-it! I look at myself sometimes, and can't help but think of that Bonnie Raitt song, Nick of Time" where it says:

"I see my folks are getting on and I watch their bodies change
I know they see the same in me and it makes us both feel strange
No matter how you tell yourself, it's what we all go through
Those lines are pretty hard to take when they're starin' back at you
Scared to run out of time

When did the choices get so hard,
there's so much more at stake
Life gets mighty precious
When there's less of it to waste
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Scared to run out of time"

I'm not here to have a pity party about "aging". I earned this right of passage. And I know for sure after going off that embankment in the accident I'm especially grateful to be alive, let alone any age, even if some people consider my age to be old. That inner "you" still expects to see "you" looking back...not that old girl-guy?! Friends, what I know is this;

I'm at a cross road in my life regarding my future health, and I need to take better care of myself while I still have a self to take care of...

Most of you reading this are probably baby boomers. Right? So you may understand how I feel when I say I don't want to waste any time making some positive changes in my personal health. I have this wild child inside me that thinks she can keep eating bad foods, and get no exercise and not have any repercussions from it. I think it's time I told myself, "Girl, you got yourself into this out of shape mess and you're the only one who can get you out of it." I want to feel vibrant inside and look vibrant on the outside! I want my zest back!

Who doesn't want to get an instant skinny fix simply by reading that article about crunches in Absmopolitan.

You mean, "I gotta work for it? But...."

[But... but.... butt bigger butttt....]

I am the only one who can fix me whether it's losing 5 pounds or 105 pounds.

My weight loss goals have everything to do with feeling good, and having great health. Looking good, and feeling good about one's self are light years away from each other. I don't have to tell you that one. I have to tell myself that, and somewhere in the middle, I want a firm grasp on both of those. I had so many of you JUMP UP and say, "I'm going with you, Lille!!! I'm losing my fluff with you, too. I want more energy. I want to get in shape. I want to lose some poundage~~~

Sah-weet-sassy-molassy-monky-pants!

So who wants to know my weight loss this week??? I have news. Weighty News.

I do need to address one thing first though. I had to change my starting weight. I weighed myself when I got home on my digital scale [God, I love this scale as much as I love a skinny mirror in a lingerie store] and it said I weighed 188.5--not the whopping 191 my doctor's lying hunk of junk scale said I did. I weighed myself two days in a row to make sure I had a steady starting weight. Psssttttt.... We all know a doctor's scale makes you weigh as much as an entire mini van with 18 bags of groceries in the back seat plus a zebra .... or two strapped on the bike rack in back. Ahem... **cough***cough**

4.5 pounds. I lost 4.5 pounds!!!! This was not painful, people. I actually ate more than I usually do. My choices were better though. Cutting out sugar was huge. Plus no cream my coffee. I wanted to slit my 'caffeine filled-with-cream-n-sugah' veins just thinking of the deprivation of having no twins in my java. I got over wanting it in under 3 days. I am in shock! Coffee actually tastes good nekkie. WTFrappucino! Who'da thunk it?

A quick question for you.

How many of you would be interested in meeting here with me for 5-15 minutes for a live vlog? A little fun so we can put the wag back in our scally's. A little silliness and motivation for those of you who'd like to do this together. Just think you'll all get to see me 'weighs-ting away to nothin' before your eyes... and you will be, too.

A time suggestion might be good, too. Mornings? Noon? Afternoons? Evenings? More than once a week perhaps?? Mix it up?? Let me hear from you... Who's in and when?

[insert 3rd grade girl giggle here]

International Overall Day

Who izzzz that girl under the lampshade???

It'zzzzz
A girl wearing her monkey pantzzzzz

Overalls are sassy....

sassy, sassy, sassy

Opie Taylor haz hiz Monkey Pantz on, too

Close up of my bibs

Thought I'd Lost It...

Someday, someone, somewhere will wonder who this dark haired girl smiling from her eyes down to her barefoot toes, and playing ring around the rosey with her friends was....

Thank goodness I found these pictures. I thought I'd lost them. Whew... This was part of a series of shots we did for our band, Silver Rose. That's me with the dark hair grinning like I'd smoked a fatty. Geez... it was the 70's... What can I say? Except these are the memories I want to take with me to my grave. The "me" I want my family, and friends, to remember. They are pictures of me living my dreams. There's nothing sweeter than that.


That's my dear friend Louie Baker on the left. He set the timer and ran in before the shutter snapped this classic picture. Yes, that's Louie. He always looked smooth even under the most adverse conditions. He, to me, was the king of smooth, and was [probably still is] one of the biggest dreamers I've ever met. Louie could sell his visions, ideas, and next big dream like no other person I've ever met. And you can tell by the picture we all loved Louie. If anyone knows this man... please tell him I love him.... still.... to this very day.

Louie taught me to dream big, and to never let anyone, or anything, stop me from chasing my dreams. I need to remember this message more than ever at this time in my life. I'm framing this picture to use as a visual carrot to help me move forward and faraway from PTSD.

Oh and before I forget... The main reason I went digging to China looking for these pics was because of the overall skirt Carol, the blond in the middle, and I are wearing because.............

Friday, November 20th
is International Overalls Day!!!
Click here for more details

Put them on, take a pic, send it to our flickr group, and have a little fun. One day, someone, somewhere will look back at the pics we take this Friday, and will say, "Now that was pretty darn cool." See that button on the right of my page???

Grab it for your own page, and link back to I.O.D.

In 5 days we're going to make HISTORY!

Are You A Free Spirit?

Silver Rose Band, 1975

That's me on the far right in my first band, Silver Rose. I was the lead vocalist, and wrote the lyrics for most of our songs. That's my bicycle leaning on the fence. That's how I got to band practice most days... or to work.... or to play.... or wherever my two wheels would take me. Ahhhh... memories. And that's an overall skirt I'm wearing. I wore this nearly everyday, and loved it with a passion. Looking back, I see I've always been a free spirit. Are you?

C'mon... Join the festivities on November 20, 2009. You don't even have to leave your house. Put on a pair of your overalls, and snap a pic. Post it on your blog (let us know), send it to me, add it to facebook or the gang of other free spirits in our flickr group. Or wear them all day long like I will be.

Tell me how you're a free spirit. With or without monkey pants.... errr I mean sassy overalls. Please visit Niels who thought this whole thing up. International Overall Day Nov 20 ~Sassy~

International Overall Day November 20, 2009

You are officially invited to join me and 1000's of others as we participate in a totally fun way to wear your monkey pants! Please scroll down for the link, and some ideas how you, and yours, can wear your overalls.... Yep...even Opie Taylor will be sporting a pair. Yes.... he will probably be high on doggy downers to do it but he will. Well.... I think he will. [Can you say photoshop???] OK at least I know I will be. I'd love to have you join me in this special day. My friend Niels will help you if you have any questions.

Yes, overalls CAN be sessy....

Yikes...

Please do NOT show Opie Taylor the picture above
or I'll NEVER be able to get him in his overalls...

Monkey pants at their finest!

Anyway you look at it...

This is going to be FUN!

On my side bar is the official link for the first annual International Overall Day November 20, 2009, and a button you can add to your page. C'mon!!! Let's make history!

Almost a Monk

A quick update on my status. My cell phone was suffocated and permanently damaged by moisture. Next time I won't use my bra as a pocket to carry my cell while hiking, and photographing the lovely fall foliage....

My power cord to my laptop took a swan dive with the cell phone, and I must bury them side by side. Apparently they mated for life while I wasn't looking. I guess they saw sparks when they looked at each other....

So that left me without a cell phone, and the internet. Oh that's not all folks.... My car was in for servicing, and the warranty company I have my car covered under never responded so my car was in the shop for 3.5 days!! No phone, no Internet, and no car. Monk Ville on the mountain top..... which is NOT a bad thing at all. It just made me aware how dependent I am on things, and the fear of being cut off from the world. I don't think our generation could have survived 100 years ago.... We don't know how to be by ourselves---and I'm not talking about holing up in your room with your computer. I mean being completely isolated from other people, and depending wholly on yourself for survival.

So Superman flew in with his laptop, his cell phone for me to use while mine are being fixed, and took me to pick up my car... PLUS he brought me an inflatable bed.... WHY an inflatable bed you ask?????? Why??? Why???? Why???? Because of this.....

In the midst of all this excitement came the BEST news ever. [no not the news that I could have become a Monk and crafted my "Ommmmmmsssss". While that is appealing, I don't look that cute in an orange tunic and a shaved head. [yes, I know that is a stereotype...just trying to make you yuckity-yuck a bit]

Here's the news!!!!

My son, daughter-in-law and adorable grandson, Emery, are moving back home. They will be in tonight, U-Haul and all. You all know how hard it's been for me not being able to drive that far to see them with my PTSD. Grand kids don't stay little so you don't get to see their growth, and cuteness unfold unless they're close by. And the times I've just wanted to hug my son, or hang out with my daughter-in-law, made me sad that I couldn't or play with my grandson. I've missed them so much.

They'll be staying with me until they find a new place, and this weekend we'll be celebrating Jake's birthday. He was born on Halloween 24 years ago. I was so ecstatic I was going to have a baby on Halloween, my favorite holiday, I nearly burst right there on the spot. I had a marker pen in my hand ready to draw a jack-o-lantern on my tummy to go to the hospital "dressed up" for the occasion.... but lost my sense of humor as things rapidly progressed. My little pumpkin was born with a stunningly beautiful head of hair in the most amazing color of red I'd ever seen.
People stopped us on the street or wherever we went, and ohhhhhhh'ed and awwwwwww'ed about how gorgous he [and his hair] was.

Now people do this with Emery. His Mama has a beautiful blog, "Sweetest Thing", all about Emery, if any of you care to take a peek. Much to my joy, Emery was born with his Daddy's hair. Click on her blog title and it will take you there.

I believe this is a gift. Happy Birthday to me! Oh wait.... I mean happy Birthday dear Jake!!!! Happy Birthday to you!!!!

Contest Winner!!!

We have a winner!!!!!!

There was a total of 94 entries! 94!!!! WOW! Superman and I printed them up using the hotel's printer since we are still on the trip to visit my Mom. So I apologize for being a day late announcing the winner. Birthday celebrations, and a flurry of family visitations made it for a very late night.... [details soon to follow]

~BUT we do have a winner, and here's how we did it~

Every name had its own slip of paper.

Including a name to go with each person
who liked Lily Pad as the prospective new name.

We hand cut each one...

Folded up all 94 entries....

Put them in my favorite hat...

Superman mixed them all up and.....

Handpicked the winner.....

Are you dying to know??????

I had butterflies waiting for him to unfold the winner.....

Lily Pad entered by Lisa @ Eco Yogini

Her blog is delightful!!!! ~check it out~

But first, please help me congratulate her!!!

I am ecstatic!! Giddy!!!! Elated!!!!

Lily Pad

Thank you so much everyone for making this a fun, enjoyable and creative experience! Everyone of you are winners in my book for participating, and especially for being such great friends, and followers! Email me, Lisa!!!! Let's get started planning your painting!!!!

~Contest Reminder~

The house sits atop a lush green hill in a quiet valley.
The sky is bluer than a robin's egg,
and clouds dance in the heavens as if no one's watching...
Apples hang on the trees waiting for a hand
to pluck their ripeness from a branch.
At night the moon crawls past my windows
and I can hear the old man laughing.
Welcome home, dear one, welcome home.

Hosta in bloom


The Red Bench

Woodstock Lily Yard Art

Here are the names people have entered as the new name for my new digs. It's not too late to enter another suggestion.

~Lily Pad~
suggested and supported by;
Lily @ Blahwg!, Life on the farm
lovelyprism @ Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered,
Rachael @ Rachael's Carrma
priti.lisa @ priti studio
Lisa @ Eco Yogini
Jean @ Pondering...

~Star Gazer~
by Allen @ Allen's Adventures

~Apple Cottage~
~Eden~
by Lily @ Blahwg!, Life on the farm,

~Smoke Free Peace Place~
by Mark @ The Walking Man

~No Smoking~
by Rick @ One Big Love

~Angelic Hill~
~House of Bliss~
~Bliss~
by Tina @ "Yes, that's my child screaming"

~Big Sky Cottage~
~Night Sky Cottage~
~Starry Sky Cottage~
by Stoneweaver

~Paradise Found~
by Anne and Sassy Sasha

~Heavenly Hill~
by Joanna Jenkins @ The Fifty Factor

~Observatory~
by Robert @ Barefoot Navigation

~Junior Acre~
by The Gaffer Girls

~Hill House~
by Snowbrush

~Sky View~
~Star View~
by Nina P's Thoughts and Musings

~Dream House~
~Sketch Pad~
by Jake @ Scattered Rhythms

~Lily's TLC, "Tranquility, Love, and Contentment"~
by Mother Moon's Message

~This Side of Heaven Manor~
~Blissful~
by the Jodi @ Creager Studios

~Faraway Cottage~
by The Water Cats

~Lily Hill~
by the Squirrel Queen

~Home~
by the Frog Queen

~Avalon Cottage~
Avalon is a type of apple
by TMC @ Return to Rural

If I've missed someone please speak up! I'd hate to think I missed anyone. This is so exciting. There are some great name suggestions.

Official Rules CLICK here

I'll be closing the contest on Sunday October 11 and announcing the winner on Tuesday October 13 my birthday! [send cake... send balloons... send hugz... send ice cream... send licorice jelly beans.... send spice gumdrops.... send love...send smiles.. did I say send cake??... carrot cake....yum...]

In the meantime....

~Opie's waiting patiently to announce the new home name~

Step into my new studio, dahling......

The new studio is beginning to take shape. I've changed my mind 6 times where it's going to be...

Before

Today it revealed its place of choice to me~

It's like Christmas opening boxes to find my paints, supplies and "visuals" that get my creative juices flowing. I'll post more updates as things unfold.

~*~ALSO UPCOMING THIS WEEK~*~
CONTEST NAMES TO BE REVEALED
It's not too late to enter your name for the new magical digs for Woodstock Lily.

CONTEST INFO HERE CLICK CLICKITY CLICK

New Winds ~ New Nest

There's a new wind blowing my hair,
and my creativity,
in a different direction.

Letting go of what was is hard sometimes but beginning fresh has a whole new invigorating rush. My entire life has been built on using what I have. What I need will be brought to me when the time is right. Isn't it grand when a new wind brushes your skin with hope, with joy, with unlimited possibilities brewing, and your imagination finds a brand new playground to scamper in?

How many girls can say Superman sent them flowers????

See my poppy paintings on the wall in the kitchen? And the Dream Board I made with Dylan hanging below them? This is a taste of what is to come, and a playful side of me I'm eager to give birth to.

Sweet Sassy Molassy!

Through A Child's Eye

I took these shots at Dorri's parent's 50th celebration. I loved the diversity, and especially loved how the children saw none. They just saw other children to play with. We can learn so much from our kids, and from our pets.

They accept us as we are...

not for what we are or are not.

Contest - Giveaway!!!!

The New Paradise

Here's the new place. Sweet isn't it? It sits on top of a hill in a quiet neighborhood. I can actually see the stars at night--it's been a really long time since I could say that. The skyline is magnificently huge, and the clouds roll by like an ever changing kaleidoscope of white, pale lavender, and gray plumes. Roosters crow from a near by farm, and I cannot help but smile when I hear them.

There's almost an acre of a park-like yard, and yes, I love to mow. Well, a riding mower that is.... and I have one sitting in the garage. May I add I "now" have a garage??? One of the things I had to give up when I moved into the tree house was a garage, and my washer and dryer. Cleaning snow, and ice off your car in the northeast is not a pleasant thing to do ever. I am giddy with joy having a garage, and being able to just go downstairs to put a load of clothes in. Giddy may not be a large enough word.....

I also love to garden, and have not been able to for the last four years except in containers. An enormous toad sits on my front porch at night, and sleepily blinks its eyes--a ploy I'm sure to catch a bold moth or mosquitoes flying toward the light. There are apples trees in the back yard. Day lilies are planted everywhere. It's almost like they said, "Welcome home, Lille. We've been waiting for you." Opie is peacefully sleeping on the floor beside me. Yes, we are home. It feels like home even though I'm sitting among boxes, and tubs piled to the ceiling everywhere I look.

My son, Jake, daughter-in-law Ashley, and my grandson, Emery came in to visit me here at the new place this past weekend. We had a lovely visit, and their being here made the first few nights feel more comfortable. Jake knows how much I loved the tree house, and he said something to me that helped me make the adjustment of being here now that spoke to my heart.

"Mom, I loved the tree house but I felt like I was always on a vacation when I was there, and after awhile of being on a vacation, you are ready to come home.
This place (the new place) feels like home."

The Contest

Followers have already suggested a few names for the new place. You may vote on one or suggest your own.

• Lily Pad (suggested by Dylan, Lily at "blawgh Life on the Farm", and Rachael at "Rachael's Carrma". This was also selected by another follower, too. I'm trying my best to remember who it was. Please let me know if it was you. I'll remember when you reply. Thanks!
  
• Evening Rest (suggested by TC at Animals That Give Pause )
  
• Cottage on the Hill (mine)
  
• Heavenly Hill (mine... even if you vote on one I suggest you will be entered in the contest)
  

All entries will be placed in a hat, and drawn by Superman, and witnessed by Opie Taylor. Each name you suggest OR VOTE FOR will be counted as one entry so the more you enter the greater chances of winning. Plus, I'll be adding new pictures of the new digs to tickle your imaginations as I get it "Woodstock Lily-fied".

The Prize

The prize will be a painting by me, 12X12 acrylic, yet to be painted. It will be painted with love, and I'll try my best to fit the painting to the winner's personality, interests, color preferences, etc.

I will announce the winner on

October 13, my birthday.

Meanwhile, I think I'll go polish up that mower. Or pull the hose out, and water my lilies.