Desk Thoughts

After I got up this morning to a partially cloudy sky.... I greeted the dogs, ate breakfast, watered the garden, fed the chickens, contemplated the fire zone, picked some weeds, choose the colors for the potting shed... I  finally sat down to write my scintillating blog post, as promised, on where I write and what my thoughts are about the area around me.
Let's start out where I left off yesterday because that's where I am this morning and it's a good place to begin again.

This is my comfortable chair where I sit and write my blog.
It's in the guest bedroom/craft room/computer room.
The whole room only measures 10X12 ft.
My desk is in the southwest corner. next to a closet that contains .... stuff.

No, you can't have that red purse. It's one of the few things that I can find in there. I also have a picture of the  aftermath in the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 (on the right).... for those of you, on the east coast, who would like to see what  REAL earthquake damage looks like.
I'm sorry. We know that this doesn't happen too often back there. It was scary for you.... Poor things.
OK! Moving away from the desk, along the wall, to the north is the printer cabinet, a night stand and a single bed.

 We only do sleep overs for one person at a time here unless you want to sleep on the floor or with the goats. The bed is covered with a lovely knitted coverlet to protect the bedspread from Carl and Cutter paws.
As we move around the room you will see the rest of the window and the craft corner.

 I told you this would be an life altering and inspiring post.
I have purposely not taken a vertical photo of this corner that includes the floor area because... well, it's just not necessary. Somethings have to be left to the imagination.
It's my little corner that inspires comments like " What's all that stuff under the exercise ball?" My friend "C" says that it's where the Hoarding starts.... like where the fire was lit.
I will skip over the door, hallway and one more table. You can only take so much of this and I don't want to loose followers from abject boredom.
So, now, I will continue with the purpose of this post . I want you to see what inspires me to write and what I need to surround myself with in order to spur my unfocused mind into action.

This is a self portrait of my sister. She painted it when she was an art major at UC Berkeley. She was very good and I love this painting of her. She never wanted to hang it in her home so I told her I would like to bring it up here and she said "Sure.". It keeps her with me all the time.

There is a wonderful plaque  hanging below her painting that says..
"If the angel deigns to come, it will be because you have convinced her, not by tears, but by your humble resolve, to be always beginning: to be a beginner.
It's written by Rainer Maria Rilke, a Bohemian poet born in Prague.
I would love to have known him and the artists that he knew.
He met Tolstoy. He was Rodin's secretary. OMG! as the youngsters say.
... and some creative drawing by my grandchildren, who will be famous artists someday. Each drawing is  unique and wonderful.

A copy of the 1922 local paper that tells of the horrible mine disaster at the Argonaut Gold Mine in Jackson. Forty seven men were trapped and lost their lives down there.
This tragedy always reminds me, with our news media that can make a mountain out of a molehill, that there is a difference between a real Tragedy and a burnt potato.

I love Mother Teresa's ..."We can do no great things, only small things with great love." and below this is a clock that my oldest son gave me.... a reminder of how fast time passes and that doing small things with great love is really an easier task that waiting to accomplish the sometimes impossible.

This is the "core" of my desk. My favorite books of reference and important information. I love the Internet but sometimes you just have to have a book. It's old fashion... I know, but I have to keep these books within my reach.

And the Kelly Rae Robert's card from Trader Joe's that reads, on her breast...

Embrace change

Take the journey back to your self.

Love with abandon

Speak of your gratitude

Wear yellow shoes

unleash your creative spirit

Dance in the moonlight

Share you inner light

Surprise yourself and do the thing you didn't think you could 

(And last of all)

Live as if you've only been given one chance.

It's a reminder to be a bit braver and reach a bit further. 

I love her face too.

Over the desk is an old frame of my Mothers that I backed with cork so I could pin things to it and a medal card holder that holds postcards, photos and the envelopes that I make. 

Oh, and one of my first little gourd ornaments.

And, of course, in a place of honor... and don't ask me why because I don't know.... the ten lined beetle that I accidentally stepped on. I find it comforting to know that its little body has been left behind and rests in this beautiful candle on the shelf next to a small, fragrant soap.  It reminds me of how quickly life can be over.
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I could show you the underneath side of my desk with three pairs of shoes, more files and dog hair. I could show you the two IFC connectors, the camera  lens cover I keep loosing and the dusty computer speakers, but I won't. I don't want you to fall asleep.... or worse yet... stop following my blog.
Yes, I'm done.... except for one more photo... no... two more... no, just one more.
This one was going to be my lottery ticket.

When we took a ride to the river the other day. We were on the beach and I spotted a very shining gold color in the water. I waded out to what I knew was the biggest gold nugget that I'd ever found. I reached down and pried it from the gravel. I was so excited. I just knew my ship had come in.
Well, after unleashing all the wonderful  anticipation of this discovery, I found an old bottle cap in my hand. Someone, who was panning for gold a few feet away said, "Whatcha got there?" I walked over and showed her my find. She smiled and said..." Well, it could have been a nugget. You have to reach down and look for everything around here. The water has been running so fast and it's moving a lot of dirt around . You just never know."
I said " Yes, you just have to keep hoping for the best."
I walked back up to the Prospector and showed him the bottle cap. He asked me if I was going to take it home. I said yes.... it's an old one. It might be worth something.
He picked up another one in the sand,
"Here, This one might be worth something too.... someday."
It was a Corona Extra cap. He has no vision.
My find is very rusty, blue with a gold yellow  drawing of water and a ship or shark fin and fireworks or palm trees on it. The only words are "pry off". It's one I haven't seen before.... but then, I don't drink much beer.
Please tell me that it's worth millions.
I will save it... on my desk... until I hear from you.