Enjoying a rainy morning

By Elizabeth Prata

It's a cold November rainy late fall Georgia day, dark and sleepy. I've got wild Einstein hair, a sleeping kitty beside me, and coffee perking. Good morning from the deep South!

No more food, please Ever. I mean it. Food is the enemy. Rich food, unfamiliar food, lots of food, has been the hallmark of this week and I am done. No more. Line in the sand.

What's for breakfast?

Here are some pics from the yard during this bright sunny week, before the rain moved in last night. Pretty! The temps were in the 60s and it was pleasant in the sun and comfortingly cool in the shade.

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving holiday, whether it was with family, friends, on military duty, or at work. It's hard to believe that 2018 is passing by quickly, there's only a few more days to this year. I remember the millennium 2000 new year hysteria. I remember 1990, 1980, time is slip slidin' away and it goes so fast. Hug your loved ones and enjoy each day.

Warm and sunny Saturday

After several very cold days, it turned warm here Saturday. Wednesday overnight was 12 degrees, and it did not warm up into much over the upper 30s for Thursday and Friday. When Saturday dawned warm and sunny, it felt great.

I called up a friend and we made a date to grab coffee, and head to the Library and browse in the sunny foyer for 50 cent paperbacks. Each of us found some good reading material and piled into my car for the next stop: Watson Mill Bridge State Park.

"The park contains 1,018 acres. Features include the historical covered bridge which is on the National Register of Historic Places and was built in 1885. The South Fork river flows through the middle of the park and is fed by many small creeks and streams. The general character of the park features the natural resources of the area in addition to its historical resources. There are several miles of nature trails and hiking trails as well as 12 miles of horse trails."

We chose to sit on the warm granite by the river and listen to the waterfall flow under the covered bridge. I watched the eagles soar overhead, watched the spray fly over the rocks, watched children splash in the pools, watched bike riders thump across the bridge.

We spent about an hour and then returned to town for our chores and Saturday commitments. But what a wonderful respite, and a fantastic getaway right at our door in Comer.

Left, water tumbling over the waterfall is reflected in the bright sun, making little starbursts for the camera

My work table

I got into a collage mood again. I go back and forth between collage and photos. I am working on a collage series, when it's done I'll post it. Two more to go, and then the text explaining them. I live in a two-room studio apartment which is more spacious than it sounds but still, it's two rooms. So how do I work at my art when I work?

I have a fabulous fifties formica topped table I use as my everything table. I eat here, work here, and play here. It is beside a great double set of windows overlooking one of the horse pastures, looks straight at the tv, and is steps away from the kitchen (tea! coffee!) and the bathroom. I bring that up because my work place, both of them for the last 7 years had no bathroom. So I am grateful to have one!

A tour of my table as follows:
Having only one table with a large flat surface area I have to use space wisely. On the left, I have the collage art journal opened to the page I am currently working on. Underneath that is a magazine I use as a glue protector, and rip each page out after I've used it as a backing as I swipe glue on the pieces. On the upper left part of the table is the stack of magazines I use to cut pieces from. I also have some art books and a couple of drawers of bling and things but the main attraction is the magazines. The tupperware of glue and glue brush is next to it.

The laptop is currently in front of my seat. I use it to search for text, inspiration, or to answer e-mails. Under that is the self-healing cutting mat. When I am cutting and gluing I push the laptop to the right side of the table at an angle. The kitten is my body guard. See, he will leap at the jugular of any intruder who tries to get between me and him! Lol, actually he naps there all day and when I have to push the laptop forward he gets irritated I am moving him from "his" table.

On my right, because I am right handed, you see the transition from morning to afternoon with the two beverage holders. One, a coffee cup, the other is the ever-present jug of water. Once I have my two cups of coffee I switch to water. I am really trying to drink all of those 8-recommended glasses per day. There's the phone, and a pen and notebook. I listen to sermons and bible instruction pretty well constantly so the notebook is for writing scriptures or notes or inspirations/connections when they occur in my pea brain! And the x-acto is for cutting the magazines up.

Now on to finishing my second-to-last collage in this series, click on iTunes with my favorites to play in order, and open the windows wider to catch that lovely breeze. Later this afternoon I am attending a dance recital with a friend. Tonight I'll watch whatever movie is on satellite tv, with popcorn. Life is good.