This time of the Year

This time of the year I always get antsy.
I love to travel and I start wanting to go places new, and experience new things.
I don't think that is going to happen for a while, so besides putting my energy into my crafting I start wanting to do different things either to myself or my house.
I still haven't unpacked everything since moving.
Since I just had surgery it's going to be at least a month before I can start on that again..
So, here I am wondering WHAT can I do new or different
Well,of course! I need a new hairstyle.
Seems like I've had this same style for a few years now.
I have been wanting to grow my hair long and try something different that way.. But, it seems every hair dresser I go to,and I tell them each time.."Don't cut any length from my hair". I don't know what it is,but they can't seem to do that. I like the one I go to now, but she does the same thing.
She will tell me she is only going to cut the dead ends off. I don't think I have 2-3" of dead ends.
I guess the long hair idea is out.
I have been looking online at different hairstyles. I love the really short look ON OTHERS, but I don't think I have the face shape for that.
So,here are some of the hairstyles I found while "browsing".
What kind of hair style do you have, or like?
Are you happy with yours or would you like to try something new also.. Take a look at these..

I think this is Super Cute!

This almost looks like mine now except a little shorter

I wish I could pull this hair style off

                                           This is cute also,but  I feel this might be for a younger lady

                                                      This is what I would really like

                                             Gorgeous but can you imagine taking care of that?

                           With this one I wouldn't need a collar on my jacket each Winter Ha Ha

  

This is what mine almost looks like every morning now!

                                     I guess If I wanted to look like the Statue of Liberty?

          This one just totally confuses me LOL

  So, which one's do you like?

Lets Wake And Be Thankful

 You've heard it said you cant have a rainbow without the rain
Well,
You can't feel joy without the pain
You don't appreciate life until it's almost gone
You don't miss love until your alone.

We don't think about the little things
Like hearing the birds sweetly sing..Seeing the beauty all around, Feeling the solidity of your feet on the ground. Being able to walk out in nature with two good feet..
Tasting life with it's bitter and sweet

Having a place to lay your head, not worrying about watching your back instead
Family and loved ones near, knowing their safety is never feared..
Good health given to us is something so dear..
Ask someone who has fought cancer just trying to live.

All these things we take for granted ..Hearing,Seeing, Tasting, Love and our Planet..
In a blink of an eye it could all be gone nothing left but memories to hold

So Lets wake each morning and look around.. Be thankful for what we have!
Smell the flowers, touch the trees, look in the skies and feel the breeze.

Behind a church here in Ky

Swamp Land in My Home State Of Ms

Across The Road From My Home Here In Ky..Foggy Morning

Where I Use To Live In Oregon... Mt Bachelor

Baby Birds In Our Backyard

A Rose From My Bush

 

Mother's Day

This past Sunday as you know was Mother's Day.
My Mom lives in Ms, so I don't get to spend time with her on that day. My kids are scattered everywhere.. Two in Ms, One in La, and One in Oregon.
It's just my husband, our "doggie daughter" Cookie,  and I.

My husbands Mom passed when he was in his 20's and every year on Mother's Day he would always be sad. I read about some people releasing balloons to loved one's who had passed, so about three years ago, I suggest to my husband we do that.

My Grandmother raised me, who I called Mama , and I always think of her as my Mom also.
So for the last three years we  have been getting balloons on Mother's Day, writing a note and releasing them for them.

Every year I will say, "Mama come get your balloon" and I don't know what you think.. But, I choose to believe she does just that. The balloon shoots up toward the sky and disappears so fast you can barely see it. This year it went under the clouds when I lost track of it.

One year my husband's Mom's balloon got caught in the tree, and my husband was getting really upset. I said, "Mrs Crane come get your balloon."
There was not even a breeze blowing and all of a sudden the leaves on the trees started shaking, and the balloon shot up out of the trees into the sky. My husband just stood there with this amazed look on his face, and I told him "She came and got her balloon"

If you  have a Mom or someone you think of as a Mom and you are sad at this special time.. Try getting a balloon for them. It really makes you feel you are giving them something, and letting them know you still think about them and love them.

What do you do?

Everyone has stress in their life, that is a given I think. 
How we deal with it is what matters the most. Sometimes I seem to give into it, and other times I just let it roll over my back.

Most of the time I practice techniques I have learned through the years. 
One thing I try to do is sit in a quiet environment, concentrate on my breathing, and just relax.

The other thing is to quieten my mind, which can be hard at times. My mind seems like a freight train out of control sometimes. 
I read one way to get your mind to relax from thoughts is to pick a focal point. Stare at that object while concentrating on your breathing. As your doing that try to use your peripheral vision. See what is above, below, and on the sides of you without taking your eyes of of the focal point. It really does stop you from thinking, and gives your mind a mini break!

I guess I am stressing too much about my surgery I am having next Thurs. 
Last time I went in for surgery I had problems with my bleeding again. 
When I had  my last child I almost died and needed a blood transfusion.. I guess I am just a "chicken" when it comes to surgery. At least this Dr sent me to an oncologist for test to make sure I'm not a hemophiliac, and thankfully that's not the problem.

Most of the time I try to use laughter as a stress relief. 
I prefer getting out in nature, in the mountains or by the sea, but it looks like that isn't an option for me at this time.
So here I am blogging about my feelings, and wondering how others relieve their stress..

I had a good laugh last night.. My husband and I were watching the news, and the police had arrested a man who broke into a local grocery store here. They caught it all on camera..
He actually cooked six steaks while he was in the store, used up 20 cans of whipped cream, and ate a Birthday Cake from the Deli in the process..
Ok.. The steaks were kind of understandable..(maybe he was hungry LOL), But 20 cans of whipped cream? I still laugh when I think about that!

So, what do you do when you need to just give your mind a break?
 

Hats And Ky Derby

                              
Everyone knows about the Ky Derby. As a child my parents use to watch it on Tv every year. This past weekend was the 139th year of the Derby races.
Last year the Queen of  England was even here for this famous race.
 I would have never dreamed in my wildest dreams that I would one day be living in Ky.
I moved from the La/Ms Area to the Northwest in 1990 and lived there for 17yrs.
In 2007 we moved to Ky, as I was trying to move closer to my Mom in Ms when she was in bad health, and this is the closest we could find for my husbands type of job.

I have yet to go to the derby, because I don't like that huge of a crowd, but I do watch it on Tv and I bet a couple of times.
I seem to have a knack for picking the right horses during the show times. I'm sure if I had the money to place a huge bet, I would loose.

One of the events prior to the Derby is a hat contest. 
The women have gorgeous, unusual, and wild looking hats to wear. I'm not sure what the winner receives, besides having their picture shown in their winning hat.
I wanted to decorate some hats and try to sell before the Derby, but as yet haven't been able to do it in time and I'm not sure where to sell.
I am a hat lover, and I grab hats for myself when I get the chance. 
I would love to take the time later and try my hand at decorating them.
I did decorate a few hats and was hoping to have more to sell, but life interrupted me.  The hats I decorated are no where close to the ones they wear at the Derby.

Here are a few of the hats being shown at the Kentucky Derby.. Some are WILD looking, and there are a  few I would like to have, or try to decorate to match my favorite..

                                             I really like this one but it's too big for daily wear

                                            Too "Out There" for me, but I adore the feathers

                                                Ummm NO NO And NO

These are a few hats the stars wore for the Derby
                                            

                     Here are a few of my hats in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/Ginascornercrafts
           Mine aren't as elaborate as the one's in the Derby, but these are my favorites. I am a work in progress with the hats, and I will be putting more in my shop later.