Comfort Cottage

A Twinkling Page

I recently joined a wonderful group called Art Journal Every Day.  It is the brainchild of Julie Balzer at Balzer Designs.  If you are new to art journaling, or you just want to know what it's all about, please pay her a visit.  I know you will be inspired by all of the wonderful art and technique there.

 

For this page, I used a brand of watercolors called Twinkling H20s.  They are highly pigmented watercolors that have mica in them.  They have a metallic-like shine and brilliant color.

 

 

I had forgotten how much fun experimenting with line and pattern could be!

 

Until next time,

 

 

The Littlest Teacher

As I look through my photographs from my recent trip out west, this little bird continues to call out to me.  Even the smallest,  seemingly insignificant things can be our teacher.  When I considered the vast, often inhospitable landscape of the Badlands, I was touched by the knowledge that God tenderly cares for all of his creatures, no matter where they are.

 

 

You probably recognize this photo from a previous post.  The textures I used are from the Kim Klassen Cafe.  Kim has a weekly group called Texture Tuesdays.  She offers all sorts of free Photoshop textures and recipes that you can use to create truly wonderful digital art.  You can then link up with her each week, and share your experiments and creations.  It is a wonderful place to learn and share.  She also has tutorials and special online classes to help you make the most of your photos.

I used Kim's Aurora and Stained Linen textures.  The flower swirls are free brush downloads from Obsidian Dawn.  The font for the brown text is Scriptina.  I forget which font I used for the word "all" (I need to keep better track of those things!)  The texture for the brown matte is sandstone, from CS5's texturizer filter.

 

Have fun with your photos!

 

Until next time,

 

Tales From Camp

On Sunday, I promised to share my snake story from our camping trip.  On our last night in Badlands National Park, I made it my mission to photograph the sunset.  Now, I didn't want to photograph just any sunset.  I wanted to catch the sun going down behind the mountain peaks.   We drove part of the way through the park until I found the perfect spot.  It was about a half hour until show time, so I found a huge rock, climbed out on it, and sat down to wait.  The night sounds of the prairie are delightful, and the air had cooled to a very pleasant temperature.  I called down to my hubby to come on up and sit with me.  He dutifully climbed up on the rock, complained about how hard it was, and shifted around behind me, trying to get comfortable.  Finally...quiet.  I adjusted my camera for the light, and just as I put it up to my face, I heard him.  "Oh no." 

Mildly exasperated, I said, "What?!!"

"There's a giant rattlesnake, a foot and a half from my butt."

There are many species of animals and reptiles on the South Dakota prairie, including a few varieties of snakes.  One of these is the hog-nose, a relatively harmless, non-venomous breed.  And then there is the rattlesnake...an icon in the American west.  The prairie rattler is native to the Badlands and is considered to be the more aggressive of the rattlesnake family.  It is also venomous.  In the heat of summer, they wait until early evening to come out to hunt.

I turned around, and I saw nothing.  He pointed to a low shrub growing out of the rock.  I went to where he was standing.  I still saw nothing.  I aimed my camera at the area using a huge telephoto lens and snapped several photographs.  I examined the screen and could find nothing.  I was beginning to wonder if hubby's eyes were playing tricks on him.  Even he started to wonder.  Finally I changed places with him, and looked at the trunk of the bush where he was pointing and bent down a little.

 

 

Because of where he was positioned, I had trouble focusing on him.  I was not about to take my eyes off of him, so adjusting my focus mode was out of the question.  Even still, there's no mistaking him.  Of course, the whole time I was flashing my light meter at him, hubby was trying to tell me that I'm probably agitating him.  Finally, common sense prevailed and I climbed down off of the rock.

 

This was not my first encounter with this delightful creature. In the early days of our marriage, the hubby and I were visiting the Badlands and I went out for an afternoon run.  (Yes, there was a time when I was able to do that)  Being an experienced runner, I was sort of zoning out as I made my way along the path.  Somewhere in my dehydrated brain, it occurred to me that there was something laying on the path.  I was just about on top of it when the light dawned.  I stepped around a rattlesnake sunning himself.  When I got back to camp, I identified it from a field guide...a prairie rattlesnake.

I did manage to get a series of shots of the sunset...from a safer location.

 

 

 

 

The colors changed minute by minute.

 

 

I love the way you can see the rays of the sun in this one.

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my snake tales.  Camping is never boring.  Have a terrific day!

 

Until next time,

 

 

True Freedom

There are a number of definitions of freedom.  One of them, according to Webster, is personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.    Yet, living in the free world does not necessarily mean we are not in bondage.  How many of us are slaves to fear?  It is the tyranny of the "what if" that wraps its chains around us.  What if it's too late?  What if I've made too big of a mess?  What if I fail?  What if I'm not good enough, smart enough or strong enough?   The "what ifs" of life can wind their way around our hearts, sapping our strength and sucking our spirits dry.  Is it any wonder that so many of us are suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and deep depression?  We are left feeling as though we are on a speeding train headed for the bridge...and the bridge is out.

I created this journal page as I thought about what true freedom really is.  To me, freedom happens in the moment that I drop my load at the feet of the One who is willing and able to shoulder it for me.  To Him, I am enough.  I am cherished, loved and adored.  Most of all, I am forgiven.  I am free.

 

 

He can put the pieces of a broken life back together.  He can heal a shattered heart.   There is no problem too great, no mess too big, no soul too damaged.   These truths are the stuff that freedom is made of.

 

Until next time,

 

Power Source

It's human nature..."I did it my way!"  It sounded great when Frank Sinatra sang it, but in practice, it's not always a good idea.  Trusting my abilities alone is like trusting the electric company with the electronic devices in my house.  Last summer, they managed to be responsible for burning out two central air conditioning units.   I too, am  subject to rolling blackouts, surges and fried capacitors!  I need the one, true power source in order to be able to function reliably and effectively.  He never fails.

 

 

 Let's plug in!

 

Until next time,

 

Pink Saturday Sunrise

Hello, my friends!  Happy Pink Saturday!  It's been awhile since I've been able to come up with some pink for you, but my recent trip to Badlands National Park in South Dakota has provided me with some gorgeous pinks.  Before I share them with you, I want to thank Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for hosting our weekly pink get-together.  If you would like to visit all of our wonderful pink particpants, just click on the Pink Saturday icon in my right sidebar.

 

This week, I visited Dixie at French Lique for the first time.  If you love antiques, you will love her latest post.  She takes us to visit an amazing shop called The Curious Boys, in French Lique, Texas.  Thanks, Dixie!

 

Finally, I have some pink to share with you.  I snapped this photo at sunrise last week in the Badlands.

 

 

 

There were many species of wildflowers.  This one is the musk thistle.

 

 

This one is field milkvetch.

 

 

Those were the more tame photos from my Badlands trip.  Next week, I'll show you the rattlesnake that was curled up three feet behind me as I waited for the sunset.  Have a great week, and thank you for visiting.  You are what makes Comfort Cottage special.

 

Until next time,

 

Stubborn Is Good

Artist lady say what???  Yes, there is a time when stubbornness is the only response that will do.  In this roller coaster that is life, I am coming to believe that the quality that will sustain us the most is the one we often find less than attractive.  What else can you do when things are falling apart, you have no answers,  and that freight train is approaching with alarming speed?  God's goodness and faithfulness are a guarantee.  It is when we are about to go over the edge, that the greatest power comes to us in the form of stubborn faith.  It is so liberating to stamp your feet, dig in your heels, and refuse to believe that God is anything but good and faithful.  It turns us from victims to victors.

 

 

 

Let's all be bull-headed today!

 

Until next time,

 

 

Expect The Unexpected

Those of you who follow me here at Comfort Cottage know that I just returned from an amazing adventure in Badlands National Park in South Dakota.  If there's anything I've learned from this trip, it is to expect the unexpected.  Due to our downstairs air conditioning unit burning through it's circuit board, and the ensuing enormous repair bill, we had cancelled our camping trip out west.  I had made peace with this turn of events and accepted that the trip wouldn't be happening this year.  Then, a miraculous turn of events, and we were on our way to South Dakota.  God's ways are not our ways.  Just when we think we have things figured out, He does the impossible.

 

 

Since I had two and a half days on the way out in the car, I did a lot of drawing in my art journal.  I added the paint when I returned home.  It's amazing where your mind goes when you're confined to a car :)

 

I hope you have an unexpectedly wonderful day.

 

Until next time,

 

Home From The Heartland

We are home at last.  My hubby decided on Saturday that he wanted to drive straight through from Minnesota to Pennsylvania.  Have you looked at a map lately?  It was a twenty-two hour marathon.  We arrived at our doorstep at 3 a.m. on Sunday.  Needless to say, I slept until noon.  I was so happy to get back to my own computer so I could begin processing the 958 photos I took this week.  Yessiree, I broke in the new camera good!  

 

We had one of the Badlands infamous thunderstorms on Tuesday.  The weather here is amazingly variable and often violent.   At 8 a.m. it looked like this:

 

 

By eleven, it looked like this.

 

 

 

The open prairie is not the place you want to be when you are the highest object out there.

 

 

Before the storm we got out of the car at Cedar Pass and went for a walk.

 

 

 

I heard a loud rustle in the bushes, and then...

 

 

Wild turkeys!

 

 

As we walked, we were treated to beautiful views.

 

 

 

This little guy, a rock wren, was out hunting for his breakfast...a nice juicy slug.  Yum!

 

 

You wouldn't think anything could grow on this rock, but it does.  It was especially green this year, due to the unusually heavy amount of rainfall.

 

 

When walking, it's so important to remember to look down.  There is a wealth of life at your feet.  This tiny creature is a notch-tipped flower longhorn.  It is a member of the beetle family.

 

 

 

 The white flower is bindweed.  It is a member of the morning glory family.

 

 

If you look closely at the upper left, you will see three little beetles munching away on the plants.  The only species I could match the photo to is the asparagus beetle.  They were accidentally introduced from Europe to Maryland in 1881.  Since their habitat is usually vegetable gardens, I can't imagine what they're doing in the Badlands.  They're obviously enjoying the bindweed.

 

 

 

That's all I have for today.  I'll be sharing more with you this week.  Have a wonderful day!

 

Until next time,

 

Badlands Beauty

It's been an unbelievable couple of days here.  We arrived at Badlands National Park onTuesday afternoon at about 2:21 MT.  We've crossed two time zones in the last two days.  It is every bit as gorgeous here as I remember.   We checked into the campground and set up our tent first.  Heat and mosquitoes were a nuisance, but being experienced campers, we set up pretty quickly.  We drove to Wall, home of the famous Wall Drug.  This oasis on the prairie was started by a couple in the middle of the Great Depression.  After five years, they almost gave up, when it occured to them that they were in a location where countless hot, thirsty travelers passed by on their way out West.  They put up signs advertising free ice water along the highway.  Before they returned home, the store was packed.  They still offer free ice water, but it is a place to get something to eat and shop, and of course, to have prescriptions filled.

 

 
 

After dinner and the most enormous slice of blueberry pie I've ever seen, we headed back into the park to take some pictures.  Before reaching the entrance to the park, we drove through Buffalo National Grasslands.  It is a vast, serene habitat to many different species.  The music of singing meadowlarks filled the evening air.  The sky takes on wonderful hues in the evening.

 

 

 

 

 The Badlands are an incredible mixture of varied terrain, much of it the result of volcanic activity.  It is what is left of the floor of an ancient sea.

 

 

 

 

As the sun set, the hills took on a soft, warm glow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day gave up its light in a final glorious display of color.

 

 

 

 

I have lots more to share with you, but I need to get some sleep.  We actually started for home today, so I'm writing to you from Minnesota.  We'll be up before dawn, as my hubby wants to drive straight through to Pennsylvania tomorrow.  Thank you so much for your comments this week.  It's really wonderful to be able to stay connected while I'm on the road.  My next post will probably not be until Sunday.  We'll be arriving late Saturday and we will be losing another hour.

I hope you are all well.  I'm looking forward to getting home so I can share some more of our trip with you.  God's blessing to you.

Until next time,

Terri