where tomatoes come from

here.. across the road from the house is the chicken lot
it is referred to as the chicken lot because it is where ..........




this chicken ....ahem ..rooster....lives
with......

these chicks...er..hens.....

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in the spring there will be another garden in the chicken lot where just as in past years ...amongst other vegetables such as collards..squash..okra..beets..pole beans ..cabbage..and various peppers...will grow a.....

tomato such as this one ..which was........



painted in the studio


fin


as you might see i dont have much on my mind this morning.....
what a wonderful way to be


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

compassion

Where Does Compassion Come From?
Seeing the suffering in the world around us and in our own bodies and minds, we begin to understand suffering not only as an individual problem, but as a universal experience. It is one of the aspects of being alive. The question that then comes to mind is: If compassion arises from the awareness of suffering, why isn't the world a more compassionate place? The problem is that often our hearts are not open to feel the pain. We move away from it, close off, and become defended. By closing ourselves off from suffering, however, we also close ourselves to our own wellspring of compassion. We don't need to be particularly saintly in order to be compassionate. Compassion is the natural response of an open heart, but that wellspring of compassion remains capped as long as we turn away from or deny or resist the truth of what is there. When we deny our experience of suffering, we move away from what is genuine to what is fabricated, deceptive and confusing.
--Joseph Goldstein, Seeking the Heart of Wisdom


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

great backyard bird count

great backyard bird count

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html

Twas the night before the Bird Countand all through the house,the birders were sleeping,just dreaming of grouse.They had mapped out their dayto find a Blue Jay,or perhaps watching owls cathing their prey.Their scopes were all ready,their binos were toodon't forget your tripod, your camera, your guide,or your coffee, a sandwhich or your favorite hot stew.You can count from your window, our car or on foot,and if you get lost remember stay put.What this weekend will bring,may remind us of spring,Just remember have fun,as you are watching a Hun,and when the weekend has passed,we will tally our birds,in the hopes that we have massed,more species this year than years in the past.


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12th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count
February 13 – 16, 2009
COUNT FOR FUN! COUNT FOR THE FUTURE!
Dear Great Backyard Bird Count Participant,
Only four days remain until the 12th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
Here are just a few quick reminders and updates:
Ø To enter your bird count checklists, go to http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=a553debcb4&e=eda1017db2 on the weekend of the count and click on the big “Enter your Checklists” button. Note: This button will not appear until 7:00 AM February 13.
Ø Don’t forget to upload your images for the GBBC photo contest! You can submit photos from February 13 through March 1 (a link to a page where you can upload photos will appear on http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=31528193e5&e=eda1017db2 on February 13). A select number of photos will be posted in the online gallery during the four days of the GBBC.
Ø Check out the GBBC blog at http://birdcount.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2a4ad41227581082052d3f85f&id=cacc69de17&e=eda1017db2, run by Audubon’s Senior Scientist, Rob Fergus, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Science Editor, Laura Erickson.
Ø Don’t forget to play Eagle Eyes! Hone your birding skills as you wait for the count to begin.
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From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

You are the Dharmakaya

Dharmakaya

Dharmakaya literally means the "body" (kaya) of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), the way of understanding and love. Before passing away, the Buddha told his disciples, "Only my physical body will pass away. My Dharma body will remain with you forever." In Mahayana Buddhism, the word has come to mean "the essence of all that exists." All phenomena--the song of a bird, the warm rays of the sun, a cup of hot tea--are manifestations of the Dharmakaya. We, too, are of the same nature as these wonders of the universe.
--Thich Nhat Hanh
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photo

colorado waterfall with carol at the top

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With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world. Dalai Lama



From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

chicken lot ponds and preserves

Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuge, near Bessemer, Jefferson County, Alabama, was established by the Service in 1980 to provide protection for the endangered watercress darter

The watercress darter is a small, very colorful fish measuring up to 2.5 inches in length. The fish is currently found in only four sites in the upper Black Warrior River drainage near Birmingham, Alabama.

***
this is a ...small [4x6] watercolor ... i painted of a portion of a creek at the preserve here in bessemer as i sat with my feet in the water

****

not long ago at another local preserve for this fish a caretaker opened a dam killing off a number of this rare species. the damage has been repaired and a number of the fish survived....but that doesnt make much difference to the ones who were killed that day. and it doesnt make much difference to the goldfish in my pond.

for one reason or another goldfish in my pond over in the chicken lot began to die off a few months ago. i figured all of them had died. the pond developed a lot of algae....i mean the water was thick with it. thinking there were no fish in it yesterday i dumped about a cup of chlorine in it. i figured kill off the algae then start anew. alas this morning when ebbie and i walked over .. as we do most mornings .. we saw that there were 3 dead goldfish floating on the surface. i didnt feel very good at all about that.... after all i could have used a 'fish safe' algae destroyer designed for just that purpose... and i have some of it here. because i had no idea that there was anything living in the pond i used the chlorine instead as it would work faster.

neither me nor the fellow at the preserve had any intention of causing harm ..and .. i dont suppose the fellow who opened the dam on the darters was any dumber or less responsible than i was.........certainly to the fish it didnt matter.

****

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

time or money

water color of st joseph sound dunedin fl

the choice

A few years ago, a very rich businessman decides to take a vacation to a small tropical island in the South Pacific. He has worked hard all his life and has decided that now is the time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He is excited about visiting the island because he’s heard that there is incredible fishing there. He loved fishing as a young boy, but hasn’t gone in years because he has been so busy working to save for his retirement.So on the first day, he has his breakfast and heads to the beach. It’s around 9:30 am. There he spots a fisherman coming in with a large bucket full of fish!"How long did you fish for?" he asks. The fisherman looks at the businessman with a wide grin across his face and explains that the fishes for about three hours every day. The businessman then asks him why he returned so quickly."Don’t worry", says the fisherman, "There’s still plenty of fish out there."Dumbfounded, the businessman asks the fisherman why he didn’t continue catching more fish. The fisherman patiently explains that what he caught is all he needs. "I’ll spend the rest of the day playing with my family, talking with my friends and maybe drinking a little wine. After that I’ll relax on the beach."Now the rich businessman figures he needs to teach this peasant fisherman a thing or two. So he explains to him that he should stay out all day and catch more fish. Then he could save up the extra money he makes and buy and even bigger boats to catch even more fish. The he could keep reinvesting his profits in even more boats and hire many other fisherman to work for him. If he works really hard, in 20 or 30 years he’ll be a very rich man indeed.The businessman feels pleased that he’s helped teach this simple fellow how to become rich. Then the fisherman looks at the businessman with a puzzled look on his face and asks what he’ll do after he becomes very rich.The businessman responds quickly "You can spend time with your family, talk with your friends, and maybe drink a little wine. Or you could just relax on the beach."

author unknown

*************************

i have never subscribed to the idea 'time is money' or that i could get ahead by working a lot of overtime. my theory is.....if you cant make it in 40 hours then you have either the wrong job or the wrong lifestyle. the only reason for working overtime would be if it would prevent the sky from falling. ive tried to live by this idea all my life. and ive never stayed on a job i disliked for very long. maybe ive done it wrong...but im happy..out of debt..and pursue my passion [art].

my objection to the idea of chasing every dollar thats out there isnt because im lazy or have no ambition. i work here everyday....im not at all a couch potato. the deal is that the lure of money is a carrot dangling before us from a stick. we never seem satisfied while occupying our time with the chase. we always seem to need more.... to keep up with the jones..to find financial security..its never enough.

there is a middle path which i try to travel...that is to be happy with my work..to be able to provide for my needs .. put a little under a rock ..and have a little for those in need. and i use a little for things i want while trying to remember that they will not provide lifetime happiness for me. i of course like the idea of financial security but i try to remember that it is folly to think we will ever feel financially secure and that even if we did we are subject to having the rug pulled out from under us at any moment....as has just happened to many.

this is not ingraind in my being but it is my ideal.

**********

"if you have the coice between time and money...choose time." anonymous wise man

From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows

like everybody else or not

"It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else.”
henri matisse

tempera [poster paint ] on butcher paper
13x22
after 'woman in a blue hat'
henri matisse 1905


i try to keep a large sheet of butcher paper..its cheap..on an easel for sketches , experiments and such sometimes just to get moving. i drew this hurridly one day with conte crayon from a print off the internet. on another day i painted it with tempera..also cheap..and i liked it. later i mounted it on masonite and will frame it someday.


i make no claims for these paintings i do after others work but i think i gain from it. ive always liked matisse and i like this painting . my brother mentioned the other day that he liked it so here it is.

********
it surprises me that henri would be bothered that he didnt paint like everybody else. woe to art if every painted alike....it seems to me...everyone doesnt see alike.. or at least i know i dont see like everyone else or paint like everyone else.
interestingly i was at a friends loft just yesterday....she is an artist herself but also has quite a gallery of other interesting artists. i had stopped to look at a particular painting which caught my eye...she said "dont you think she paints a lot like you do?" and indeed i thought she did too. i cant remember her name but i might be interested to meet her. im not sure if she is local or not.
i dont try to see or paint differently .... i just do.. just as i believe differently from many others. it just happens. carol would say its my nature. she drives me crazy saying that. any way some people like the way i paint and say so but others just walk right on by showing no interest whatsoever. i dont think that is a matter of right or wrong or of good or bad..that is the individual part of us all although i beleive we are all connected...each a small part of a whole. look at music. to me all new nashville country music sounds pretty much alike ... now look at [or listen to] jazz.... not much of it is alike is it....think about it. very possibly no one else sees or thinks about this issue itsself the way i do. i better leave it at that before ...............

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“I don't know whether I believe in God or not. I think, really, I'm some sort of Buddhist. But the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer.”
henri matisse


From the promise land in Lipscomb Alabama
Where golden eagle table syrup and buffalo rock
Flow freely
And the train whistle blows