Thursday, March 17, 2011

LA's Answer to Paris's Tuileries Gardens

This was surely one of the whole buck tours Ms. Moss recommended that I go see. If camera's could record smell you would be greeted the wonderful aroma of Magnolia, Jasmine and Lavender. Come with me.










See? Wasn't that a lovely stroll? Right here in LA. Uh-huh.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Day 6 of Cat Nanny Confessions


Sharpshooter failure! Extra Frisky Critter! Me and the boys searched high and low cussing and hissing half the night. Finally decided best to turn in but not much sleep to be had. Wyatt at my feet, ears perked at the slightest sound. Buck up on the table tirelessly keeping an eye out where we last spotted that rascally varmint. Dawn cracked and I opened one eye to see Wyatt on the night stand looking particularly proud. I said "Did ya git him boy"? He just smiled. Swung my feet out o covers for my waiting slippers and right there, o man, was my morning present. 
Seems to me like there is some kind o competition between Buck and Wyatt as to varmint rustling. Buck seemed all ticked off at Wyatt and headed up the bluff after his morning rations.  Corky, she just sits back and looks pretty.


After that needed some nerve juice.

Perfect to start or end a day. Adore Chamomile. Reminds me of Granny Julie's Sassafras Tea.

Decided to have my tea on the patio. Beautiful morning.



After we settled down a bit, we read his MAM'S post from over there where she is galavanting in Paris. 
He meowed and sent her his love.

Monday, March 14, 2011

On Loving LA


Delicious salad we had. Vietnamese Cafe. Yummy. Notice the coconut milk? My first ever.

View from a certain window.....

A day later out for a stroll. Lovely singing bird I had to stop and take a photo. Won't tell you what the angry man said. Not important. I think he thought I was hurting the bird.

Adore white picket fences.

Speaking of fences - love this gate! A new take on chain link.

Okay, this is the bottom of the palm tree. Love the vine growing around base...

And this is the top! Tallest palm I have ever seen!

Maybe Californians are used to such tallness...I am used to the short fat variety. 
I am picturing a local native over in Tahiti climbing up there to collect a few coconuts.

Flowers in bloom everywhere.

And it is only March. Hope you have enjoyed our little stroll. MAM has given me directions for the 25, 75 and whole buck tour de gris to explore whilst she is traipsing around in Paris. 
I can see why she loves LA

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Confessions of a Cat Nanny






Be jealous. Be very jealous. I would be if I were in your shoes!
Now that I have been officially been deputized, I can claim my status as Corky the Cat Nanny of the infamous MAM Cat Posse! Yup, my first try out for deputy sheriff was back when Ms. Moss was off to Istanbul. We got along just fine back then but it was obvious they were sizing me up and not once allowed me to join in rustling up any varmints. Now that I am back while the official sheriff is off to Paris, I have been properly initiated and official. For all you other wanna-bees out there I highly recommend my personal varmint-getter - a 40 in. 'grabber'. A stick with a claw at the end. Made for short people like me to reach highest places in closets and shelves. Can't be without it. You can substitute for a cane in a pinch (no pun intended).

This the whole story:


Posse report as translated by deputy sheriff, cat nanny:

As the oldest (and therefore wisest) member of this here posse (namely Buck), I rustled up the first varmint to see jes how good this here deputy nanny really is. Oh, I had a great time messing with that little rat fink - even run him into nanny's open suitcase. Whatever sharpshooter that durn deputy brought - well, when she hit him with it he got lifted plumb in the air and over the fence before I could even draw any blood! Purty durn impressive. I have been keeping her feet warm every night! 
Then next night ole Wyatt decided to bring in The Fat Mole - you know, the one that looks like Michael Jackson's Ben and thinks he is so cute? He was so big it would've keep Wyatt busy for hours before bringing him down. Out comes the sharpshooter again but this time the varmint's so fat he didn't make it over the fence and there went Wyatt after him again. Found his cold, dead body later and this time saw her use that long pistol to put it in a sack and toss it in that big bin. Wyatt put another notch in his whiskers.

What can we say about that useless Corky? All she does is collects burrs, leaves and small branches in her fur all day just to get nanny to brush her and pet her. I do my best to keep her in line but she just goes off and does it again. 

Nanny tells us about your mission over there in that foreign place and we are glad to hear at least there are more dogs than cats this time. We feel bad not being with you to protect you from all those varmints - we know they are everywhere! But don't you worry about Moss Cottage. Between us, nanny and her sharpshooter, we'll keep things safe.

Meow, Purr, Meow, Purr, Meow Purr
The Cat Posse
***
After reading this you may not think to be jealous, but 'au contra-ire' (as they say in Paris).
If you are a reader of blogs about art journals, travel, books, music and inspiration you probably already know about Dispatch from LA. There is nothing quite as wonderful as holding a work of art in your hands and taking as long as you want to fill up your eyes. My own kitties (see them in sidebar) and Mr. Man miss me but loving that I come home so inspired and rested after my cat nanny retreat is over. Are you green yet?









Friday, March 11, 2011

Confessions

Yup, um-hum. I am coming out of the closet:


I'm Coming Clean on My Addiction

The first step is admitting that you have a problem.” I’ll be honest with you; many times over the years, I have wondered and then dismissed it. “No, not me, I need this.” But as time goes on I can see the evidence mounting. It is becoming harder and harder to deny that I have a problem.
Most days I am too close to it, too caught up in the excitement, the rush of getting more. Enough is never enough. I’m blinded by it. I am always wanting more, searching for more, consuming more. You should see my stash.
It’s easy to deny it’s a problem, because let’s face it – everybody does it. OK, not everybody, but I know a lot of people who do. Not regularly perhaps, but on occasion. Really. I’ve seen others do it. I’ve seen you do it, too. No? OK, you’re right, I haven’t actually seen you, but I’m pretty sure you do and maybe you don’t even realize you have a problem. Most people don’t until it’s too late.
I am coming clean today because it’s the only way I can see my way out of this. I’m going public because I need the accountability. Knowing that you know will keep me focused on my goal.
Does it sound like I am stalling? You bet. It’s embarrassing and I have to admit, I really don’t want to stop. As I write this, I still want more and I’m afraid that the feeling will never go away. Oh, and did I mention that it’s not as easy as staying away from it? It’s everywhere I look. It’s something I have to resist daily, often more often than not, several times a day.
I am addicted to information. OK, I said it. I have a need to know. No matter how much I know, I want to know MORE. I am guilty of waiting until I know everything before I take action. And what does that do? It stops me before I can even start.
It’s illogical, I know, because I already know a lot. I have learned by experience, the best teacher, this I know for sure. Experience is the best teacher because it means you are taking action. And that’s one of the reasons I started coaching – to share what I know. But then it started. I felt I needed to know more, to be able to give you more, to give you the best. As a result I am looking to others for knowledge, when I know better.  Like Dorothy seeking the Wizard of Oz, the power is inside and I have had it all along.
Another reason I am coming clean is because I think you may have a problem, too. I have heard more than once - you won’t start, can’t start, until you learn one more thing, take one more class, buy one more tool that will magically turn you into the expert you want to be. You may not be addicted to information, but you are addicted to looking outside of yourself for the answers. Just like me. And we both know better. We know the answers lie inside so why are we still searching?
We’re human. That’s the answer. We’re normal. We can take comfort in that. We are searching because we do not believe in ourselves. We are taught from an early age to question everything. We spend 12 or more years in school finding out how much we don’t know, but no one ever teaches us to become aware of what we do know. As the years go by, we bury our own knowingness deeper and deeper until we doubt we really aren't shre of anything at all. We do not trust ourselves.
So here’s what I propose. Grab a piece of paper and start writing down everything you know, big and small, significant and insignificant. Write until your hand hurts. Take a break and write some more. Do it again tomorrow. In fact, I bet you could do this every day and never run out of things you know.
Daily practice: Write down 12 things you know about the area you continue to seek knowledge in -12 things. Do that every day for 12 days. When you begin to see how much you actually know, you will build confidence and certainty in yourself. Confident people do not have addictions. That’s my 12 step program.



Lesley Riley, The Artist Success Expert, is the creative founder of Artist Success, Solutions for the Struggling Artist. To receive her bi-weekly articles on creating your own success as an artist, visitwww.ArtistSuccess.com.