Rose Macro - June 26, 2009

"The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on."

– Julia Alvarez

That's a nice quote, but I also like to pay it back... It's all good!

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Rose Macro

4" x 6" Watercolor

on Indian Village Handmade Paper

Captain Wiener - June 25, 2009

"Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish that they are after."

Henry David Thoreau

To spend one's whole lifetime waiting for life to come to us... thinking that if we just quiet our minds we will find peace... waiting for life to make us happy... could there be a greater waste.

That is not to say that serenity and peace are not found in fishing. They certainly are, as they are found in many other quiet hobbies and activities. And they are certainly an important part of life. But they are not what life is all about, not what we are to spend our lives looking for.

The beginning is in the quieting of the mind. That is just the beginning. As we quiet our minds our answers will come. And we will know what right action steps are to be taken.

From A Time for Joy
by Ruth Fishel

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This is Captain Wiener.

I designed him for a client who sells hot dogs.

My life is incredibly fun!

Snowball the Rooster - June 24, 2009

"Rate the task above the prize; will not the mind be raised? Fight thine own faults, not the faults of others; will not evil be mended?"

– Confucius

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Snowball the Rooster

4" x 6" Watercolor

on Indian Village Handmade Paper

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This is the same rooster I posted on Monday. I see things differently each time I paint them. Isn't life fun?!

Three Hungry Goats - June 23, 2009

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."

– Marcel Proust

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Three Hungry Goats

2.5" x 3.5"

Watercolor on Yupo

The Painted Rooster - June 22, 2009

"Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. 'Tis grace that hath brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home."

-John Newton

Today and always, let joy be your compass. When choosing a direction in life, choose the path of your heart. Do what you love, follow your bliss.

Fun is an underestimated emotion in our culture. We are told as children, "If you waste time having fun, you won't get anything serious accomplished." Yet most successful people describe their work as being incredibly joyful. An office that sings with laughter is always more productive. As one executive remarked, "The more I enjoy my work, the more efficient I become.."

Joy and laughter improve the quality of our relationships. Couples who lighten up rarely split up. Laughing at a difficult situation fosters detachment and understanding. It is only when we get too serious that trouble arises.

-Douglas Bloch

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"The Painted Rooster"

8.5" x 10" Watercolor on Yes! canvas sheet

Donut - June 19, 2009

"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

– John Ruskin

Donut

2.5" x 3.5" Watercolor

Alphabet Swap

Coffee - June 18, 2009

"We evolve at a rate consistent with the groups we are plugged into energetically."

- Caroline Myss

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C is for Coffee

2.5" x 3.5" watercolor & ink

Alphabet Swap

Oranges - June 17, 2009

"The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment, it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone."

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– Orison Swett Marden

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Oranges

Watercolor on 4" x 6" Postcard

Solitary Boat - June 16, 2009

"Few people know that they have the power to bless life. We bless the life in each other far more than we realize. Many simple, ordinary things that we do can affect those around us in profound ways: the unexpected phone call, the brief touch, the willingness to listen generously, the warm smile or wink. We can even bless total strangers and be blessed by them."

Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

I like that!

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Solitary Boat

4" x 6" Watercolor

Birthday Cake - June 15, 2009

"Scientists tell us that our body is constantly
rebuilding and curing itself. When the body is fed the
mental picture of wholeness, it builds it's cells
according to that picture, whereas when fed thoughts
of hopelessness and incurability, the body builds the
cells according to that mental picture."

-Catherine Ponder

Today, see yourself as well and whole. Put all your
energy into positive thoughts, knowing that the body
is healthy and strong.

"Time for Joy"
Daily Affirmations by Ruth Fishel

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B is for Birthday Cake

2.5" x 3.5" watercolor and ink

Alphabet Exchange