Happy Monday!

And it's definitely spring!  This past weekend was so gorgeous - we just loved being outside and soaking in the sun.  Some of my neighbors got sunburned, but not me.  Just perfect.  And my tulips are soo gorgeous as well, I love this time of year.
Well, there's a few things to celebrate today... hope everyone did something fun for earth day.  I figure working in the yard is good earth day stuff.  Don't you??
Well...kind of a bare bones entry...no videos or photos...but hopefully you'll smile!

English Language Day - We have to have a day to celebrate the English language??  The most confusing, mis-understood language in the world?  lol. I've heard it's the hardest language for other language speakers to learn.  I think it's hilarious how many words mean so many different things.  And sound the same!  So doing spelling phonetically, is totally insane.  I mean, you can sail to the sale and nail the nail (hammer and finger) and all, but you don't know anything until you've pinned the tail or told the tale.  And I'm not even having the big words come to mind...  :)

English Muffin Day - if only I had known!!  I would have tried to buy some on Saturday so we could have them for breakfast today.  I love English Muffins!  Especially the whole wheat kind.  You toast them and butter and jam...and there's all the little crevasses with butter in them...  yum. 

Movie Theatre Day - I think this day should be tomorrow so everyone can take advantage of the $5 Tuesday stuff.  That's our favorite day to go to the movies - either Cinemark or Megaplex - they're both $5 on Tuesday!!

Talk Like Shakespeare Day - thinketh thou that this would be a favored pastime?  It doth not seem to have favor with the larger populace, me thinks that they have grown too lazy in their demeanor and speech hast becometh short in meaning.

World Book & Copyright Day - copyright is a big thing.  I never realized how big a thing until one of my writer friends ended up having to go to court because someone plagiarized a whole book of hers and tried to pass it off as her own.  It has been a three year fight for it to finally go to court!!  People are crazy.  Why would someone even try this??  Why would you deliberately set out to hurt and deceive?  It boggles the mind.  :(

World Book Night - apparently it's a big deal that the royal baby was born on world book (day) night.  That was the first I'd heard that she'd had the baby.  Well...third one to the family, and I think it's cool that she's in good health and the marriage is still good (as far as we know - as if it's any of our business, lol)  Anyway - it's apparently a tradition to give books out to those who don't have many, or who struggle reading, or who like to read.  :)   so, give a book to someone you love!!

It's also National Picnic day - which is a good thing.  If it dries up after our morning shower, it looks like it would be a great day for a picnic!  I tried to do one yesterday, but no one came...so we just stayed inside.  sigh. 

And - Cherry Cheesecake day.  Personally, I'm not a big cherry fan...but I like cheesecake.  Or I used to.  I'm finding my tastebuds are changing as I get older.  sigh.  That's just wrong... lol.  What's your favorite flavor of cheesecake?  Well, you might want to surprise the family and have some today!

Have a great one!

Quick thought...

Hey everyone!  Happy Friday!!  Hope you have an awesome weekend. 

I had the hardest time going into work this morning.  I wanted to stare at the clouds!  They were amazing!!  Two huge swaths of gray and white...moving slowly, but fast for clouds.  One bunch was to the west, and the other bunch was over the mountains.  That makes me hope for snow in the mountains!!  But anyway, it was awesome.  For some reason clouds fascinate me.  

Not much to celebrate today, but there is one thing I think everyone should do...

National Cheddar Fries day!!  I think everyone likes cheese fries...so whether its for lunch or dinner, make sure you have some of those yummy potato goodness today.

and just in case that doesn't float your boat...it's also

National Pineapple Upsidedown Cake day - something my mother-in-law would be thrilled to know.  That's what she wants every year for her bday.  

so - whatever you end up doing, hope it's a great day for you!

Almost there...

to the end of the week!  It's kind of been a long week for me...I was thinking Tuesday was Thursday, so now that it's Thursday, it feels like we should already be to Friday, lol.  I think I need mental help... to quote Cool Runnings..."whatever's wrong with you is no little thing."  :)

Anyway - so there are a couple of fun things to mention today:

High Five Day - it's the day where you have permission to high five everyone you see!  Make their day, let them know it's awesome to be alive. 

National Garlic Day - ah, garlic.  Who doesn't love the smell of it roasting, or cooking?  I have to admit, I think it's probably my favorite thing to add to a dish.  No, not everything needs garlic, but most of it.  I like it in sauce, I like it in casseroles, I pretty much put roasted garlic in everything I cook except deserts.  What's your favorite way to eat it?

National Hanging Out Day - this is not what your thinking.  This isn't about kids hanging out together instead of dating, lol.  This is about hanging clothes up on the clothesline outside and saving energy.  I keep trying to get my hubby to hook up one that you can pull and move.  He doesn't like that I want it attached at one end to the house, so we've had a debate on it for years and never put one up.  I grew up with a clothes line, and we also used to have those frames that you'd put in the jeans so they wouldn't shrink.  Anyone remember those??

National Stress Awareness Day - a note by this said it was supposed to be the first workday after taxes are due.  Well, that would have been yesterday, so I don't know why they're claiming it's today.  I figure stress is there no matter what time of year it is.  I think I posted a clip from Anastasia one year about stress "It's a killer, sir"... 

Oklahoma City Bombing Commemoration Day - I remember this happening...I remember that it seemed unreal, and kind of far away.  For some reason this did not have the same impact on me that 9-11 did.  I think all of us remember the guys name.  What I think is amazing, is there is a museum dedicated to those who were killed.  Check it out...it's very interesting.

Well, only one more day and then it's weekend time and working in the yard.  Have a great day!

Happy Spring!

Well, most would say that we haven't had spring yet, or that we did and then Winter shoved it's way back in -- but I say it's spring.  When the tulips are blooming, you know it's spring!!  ;)

And when hubby is testing out the sprinklers, you know the water has been turned on, and that means only one thing.... it's spring! 


I may be in denial and wearing a thin jacket to work when it's a little brisk outside, but that's because it's supposed to be spring, lol.  For being someone who likes fall better, I'm having fun with this year's spring.  I don't know what it is, but I'm loving the yellow flowers on my weird bush in the back yard that we chop down low every fall and it always comes back. 

Today was sooo much fun.  I told my hubby this morning that I've been looking forward to this day for seven years.  Grandparents lunch!!!  We finally got to go have lunch with our awesome granddaughter.  It was a little on the crazy side, but at least she was happy to see us and that made the whole thing worth it.  :)

we have a cutie pie...  :)  And we kind of lover her lots.

Well... thought I'd share.  :)   Have a great day.

It's Friday....the 13th!

Happy Friday!  For some reason it's seemed like a long week...Did it to you?  I'm not sure if it was the weather or what.  But, anyway, you made it through, and now we have the weekend to look forward to.
For some, it's a scary day, because of the whole Friday the 13th.  I've never been one that worried about it -- I'm also not a horror film fan, so I didn't watch any of those films - ugh.  So perhaps I can help take your mind off the idea of bad luck. 
Also, there may be many of you dashing to get those taxes done...but hey, at least it's till the 16th this year!  So take a deep breath, let it out slow, and be thankful you're alive.  It's an awesome day!  There isn't much on the celebration calendar at Brownielinks...but thought I'd share stuff anyway.

Make Lunch Count Day - I think every meal should count, but that's just me.  Why have a day to celebrate just making lunch all it can be??  I think they're trying to say that you need energy to make it through the rest of the work day.  Give your body the right fuel.  It's kind of like those old v8 commercials...remember those?  "Dang, I could have had a V8!"  Yep.

Scrabble Day - Scrabble!  Love this game...to a point.  We'd rather play speed scrabble, which doesn't use the board.  Have you played that?  It's fun to see how fast you can come up with words and make your own crosswords work.  My mother-in-law is amazing at this...  Let me know if you want the particulars.  :)

Peach Cobbler Day - I don't know why it would be peach cobbler day so early in the year, our peach tree just barely bloomed this week!  And now it's dusted with snow, but ya know.  Anyway, maybe it's a way to use up the last of the home canned stuff, but whatever the reason, I love me some peach cobbler, so we might have to make some tonight.

So...since it's Friday the 13th and everyone associates that with bad luck... lol...  I thought I'd share some happiness and laughter with you.

Yes, that means Studio C videos... you know you like them! Now, I know some of their newer stuff isn't quite the same as the beginning sketches, but they're still funny.  We'll start with Bad Karma...well, it is Friday the 13th.  :)

and add some volleyball insanity...


But we have to have some country.


I wonder if they are really singing?  I mean, they're not bad...

and last something real.  lol  I know, I like Alex Boye's stuff probably too much, but he's awesome.  He posted on Facebook this week that Atlantic Records posted his version of the song on their site!!  That's so cool!

Have a great Friday, and a great weekend!!

April showers!

You know that old saying, April showers bring May flowers?  Well, we have that today!  Lovely rain.  I hope it stays a while, but they said some snow was coming tonight, so I guess we'll see.  I think a lot of people would love the weather to be like it is in the second Back to the Future. :)

Anyway, not a lot of stuff, but some fun ones.  Here we go...

Celebrate Teen Literature Day - if you have a teen that doesn't like to read, maybe you can encourage them with something different.  My kids didn't like to read until jr high, and then they wouldn't stop reading!  One of my sons actually threatened the teacher when he took his book away... sigh.  There are some good books out there!!

D.E.A.R. Day (aka Drop Everything And Read) - I like this one!!  Sounds good to me.  Do you think we could end some of the strife in the world if we all just took a few minutes to read together???  It's the perfect day for it too...curl up in a comfy chair with a good book and listen to the rain...

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day - We have a cool food truck in our area called the Toasted Cheeser.  They do nothing but grilled cheese, and all of the variations you can think of.  They have been at several events I've painted faces for, and the food looks awesome.  sigh.  But today, it would be a made at home version. the Nibble has recipes that you might want to try...
I used to hate grilled cheese because it always tasted greasy.  We don't put butter on the outside of ours, so it's lots nicer.  I have to admit though, nowadays my grilled cheese is more like a panini. What kind do you like?  did you know that it was grilled cheese month??  You could have grilled cheese every day and live the life of cheese... lol. 
 
National Licorice Day - yeah!  There are lots of different kinds of licorice.  Personally, I like Red Vines and only the red kind.  A former co-worker used to make the most awesome caramels...and one year she did licorice flavored.  That was the only time I liked the (dark) licorice flavor!!  It was amazing...  but red is good.  Purple is good too.  Licorice is our road trip food.  :)

Walk on Your Wild Side Day - I'm of two minds with this idea.  One site says that the world would have you stay within guidelines, strictness that keeps you from developing and growing.  It kind of reminds me of a song that was popular a couple years ago - Unwritten:

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten...

 ...

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way.

I love this song.  I feel that it calls to the writer in me and I want to jump to the keyboard and start typing. Mistakes or failure is how we learn and grow. (hopefully) I'm not sure releasing our inhibitions is always good, but they do hold us back from doing what we really want sometimes.  

So - here's to you.  Each unique person out there who wants to live life as well as they can.  

this is your day.

Live it well.  :)

Here's the video  (sorry about the last minute of it...)

Happy April!

Okay - I have stated before that fall is my favorite time of year, but I do admit that Spring is awesome!!  I just love watching the flowers bloom.  It kicks my painting craze into full bore.  :)

Last week I was soo busy.  You would have thought that I'd have time to stick a thought out there, but I didn't.  And, when there was days to glance, there wasn't really anything worth sharing in the holiday department.  I did write a long rant about Black Panther, but then deleted it.  It just wasn't worth the possible repercussions.  lol

Soo...  here we are - new week, new month - a load of possibilities!  There are a couple of fun things, but I have loads to get done, so won't take a lot of time on it.  :)  And - remember to check out Brownielocks.com...she has all the holidays!!  (except food, lol)


Free Cone Day (Ben & Jerry's) - so - apparently they have been doing this for a while.  I'm not a big Ben and Jerry fan, but ya know, free ice cream is free ice cream.  Here's a list of available stores...unfortunately there isn't one by me...  oh well. 

National Be Kind To Lawyers Day -  This means I can send my sister flowers!! lol  She's a lawyer, and we tell lawyer jokes all the time.  (She knows some good ones!)  Anyway - hey, if we didn't have lawyers, who would you have to do all the divorces and adoptions???  sad state, people...sad.


National Library Workers Day -  Shout out to all of those who work in libraries!!  My favorite place in (well, second favorite place) the world!!  One of my good friends works at the local one and it's fun to run in there and say hi.  I almost got a job in a library...  sigh.

National Library Day -  Celebrate your library!!  Go to the library and camp out in a corner reading.  I love libraries - I could spend hours in there.  Have you seen some of the huge ones??  This one in italy looks cool - I never would have thought of a library on the beach!!  Wouldn't that be awesome??  Talk about a day at the beach!!  there are some pretty cool libraries around the world, but I still didn't find one that looks like it has comfy seats.  I think there should be one in the trees with hamocks that you can lay in to read.  Don't you think that would be cool?  There are a couple of awesome children's libraries though...I would have LOVED these ones when I was a kid.  I still would.

Awesome stuff.









National Sibling Day -  And so, after all the years of fighting with your siblings...it's a day to be thankful for them.  Remember all the times when your sister stole your clothes or shoes?  Or your brother kept punching you in the back when mom wasn't looking?  Or let the air out of your bike tires...threw water balloons off the roof at you and your friends?  You would miss them if they were gone.  You love them, you know it.  Make sure you tell them today.  I sure love my siblings - they are the best.

National Cinnamon Cressent Day - who would have thought??  Sounds good to me though... the Nibble has a recipe for them. Looks yummy...


And lastly... Safety Pin Day - apparently this is the day in 1849 that the patent for the safety pin was given.  Rumor is the guy owed a friend money and invented something to be able to pay him back.  Whoever or however or why - I know the world is a better place for the safety pin!!  although...those of us who have had them pop open on you...they aren't always so safe, lol.  :)

Well, have a lovely spring day - you deserve it!

New Website is up!!

I'm so excited!  My new website is up...it has all of my stuff linked together in one location!!  It's awesome.  :)

They are linked up to my two retail sites... Artpal and Fineartamerica.  So please - go check them out!!  :)

Also...today is a great day.  Sandra Boynton summed it all up in her post on facebook today...

coffee cake sounds real good...we haven't really eaten yet at my house, lol.  Have a good one!