by Great Joy Studio | Sep 28, 2012 | Personal Touch
Yikes! Things are suddenly piling up. Do we get ourselves into tight (scheduling) spots (by over committing) or does our fast pace, speeding by world impose them on us? Or . . . am I just slowing down?
Vacation is officially OVER!
American Heritage Dictionary
dead•line (dĕd’līn’)
n.
- A time limit, as for payment of a debt or completion of an assignment.
- A boundary line in a prison that prisoners can cross only at the risk of being shot.
tr.v., -lined, -lin·ing, -lines.
Origin: 1864
It began as a real line, drawn in the dirt or marked by a fence or rail, restricting prisoners in Civil War camps. They were warned, “If you cross this line, you’re dead.” To make dead sure this important boundary was not overlooked, guards and prisoners soon were calling it by its own bluntly descriptive name, the dead line. An 1864 congressional report explains the usage in one camp: “A railing around the inside of the stockade, and about twenty feet from it, constitutes the ‘dead line,’ beyond which the prisoners are not allowed to pass.” Nothing could be more emphatic than dead line to designate a limit, so we Americans happily applied the term to other situations with strict boundaries. For example, the storyteller O. Henry wrote in 1909 about crossing “the dead line of good behavior.” But it was the newspaper business that made deadline more than just a historical curiosity. To have the latest news and still get a newspaper printed and distributed on time requires strict time limits for those who write it. Yet many are the excuses for writers to go beyond their allotted time: writers’ block, writers’ perfectionism, or just plain procrastination. (Perhaps the writer is a deadbeat (1863)–another dead word invented by Americans during the Civil War.) Seeking the strongest possible language to counter these temptations, editors set deadlines, with the implication that “Your story is dead–You are dead–if you go beyond this time to finish it.”
Our urgent twentieth century has made such deadlines essential not just for reporters and other writers but in every kind of activity; there are deadlines for finishing a job or assignment, for entering a contest, for ransoming hostages, or for buying a product at the special sale price.
by Great Joy Studio | Sep 19, 2012 | Personal Touch
Home just over a week, reviewing vacation photos and realized I already forgot how much fun we had. Sharing one more trip (one I highly recommend to EVERYONE!) post on our hiking days in the Teton area outside Jackson, Wyoming. I’ll try to capture the (extremely worthwhile) experience in a nut shell:
Again an early breakfast (for energy & fun) in the “Chuck Wagon” teepee (just outside the park gates) in Moose, WY. This is also where we spotted our only moose. 
A boat ride across the Lake (Jenny) saves some hiking energy.
Hiked three miles, straight up the first day. This was as high as we got. Yikes!
The second day, a five mile hike featuring two lakes was not such a climb however, equally as breathtaking.
Enjoyed an early fall among the aspen groves with cool, crisp temps. Nice after such a long hot & dry summer.
And . . . gathered lots of photos inspiring a brand new collection!
Make time (if possible) to visit this awe inspiring area, it’s well worth the trip.
by Great Joy Studio | Sep 11, 2012 | Personal Touch
Long time, no post. I actually took a vacation with my husband (non work related) which we planned simply to see some sights, rest & relax. We visited an area he has long intended to go, Wyoming. Glad we took the time. BTW – The automobile above was a passer by, not ours.
I took so many pictures I decided to choose only one from each day, almost. 
Can you guess where this one (above) was taken?
Yellowstone certainly is where the buffalo roam.
Park days were hiking days. We did a few, all were gorgeous!
We had a chuck wagon breakfast on a chili morning in this teepee just outside of the Grand Teton National Park. 
If you are (not bored yet) interested in seeing additional photos, I will be posting more details at Tidings of Great Joy, LLC on Facebook.
You may need to ‘Like’ the page to view.
by Great Joy Studio | Aug 2, 2012 | Home Arts
Just under 100 is predicted for the next three days with RAIN possible! Hopeful news. Two months down, one to go, for this dry and extremely HOT summer. Lots of outside watering time and moving plants away from the scorching sun, has been somewhat of a distraction from painting.
Fun however, has been keeping an eye on a family of tree frogs that have spent their summer in these cool, wet cans which also house my pretty Gerber Daisies.
Enjoyed watching them both grow.
Inside watering (with color) too & keeping cool in the (Joy) studio – Finishing up our 2013 Christmas collection.
by Great Joy Studio | Jul 10, 2012 | Home Arts, Treasured Tuesday's
The ‘so much life’ I mention in the last post was certainly felt the second week of our mini art camp. Besides Independence Day falling smack dab in the middle, I began the week by stepping on a sliver of glass going for my first cup of coffee Monday morning. Unable to retrieve it on my own after soaking and searching with magnifiers, I bandaged and hobbled through the best I could.
The second surprise was a phone call from my aunt Lois who was just in from Texas. Although aware of her trip, she phoned to let me know that she had decided on this visit, to bring my grandmothers photos, collected over at least three lifetimes! This, at my periodical requests to document (some day) the rarely seen (Tuesday’s) treasures, with hi res scans (on my equipment) and hopefully gather the accompanying family stories/history. How could I pass on this opportunity, right? Naturally, I could not . . .
Making time for everything was more than challenging but recognizing the rewards in all, I wore myself out trying to keep up. Did I mention, all took place during a period of record breaking heat and drought not felt in Missouri since the dust bowl years? Ten days straight, over one hundred degrees. Whew, brutal!
After most of the work was complete and a major clean up, I saw a podiatrist the following Monday. He successfully removed the obstacle of the pain in my foot. Ah, relief. Staying off my feet for a few days . . . doctor’s orders! ;-D
by Great Joy Studio | Jun 20, 2012 | Home Arts
Summer is heating up – mid 90s, all week!
The Hydrangea bushes love it. Me, not so much.
Plans to sketch more of the pretty blossoms is on the schedule.
Work to be done from cut subjects in the cool of the studio, naturally.
