Bird 1- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

Bird 1- Digital Art- Mobile Art-Tracey Grumbach

The other morning I went out to my garden to pick green beans for our dinner that night. This gardening thing is fairly new to me and I am finding it to be very zen like. As I was searching the green bean bushes for ripe beans, all the rest of the world seemed to melt away. I only heard the sound of the birds squawking at my bird feeder and the bees buzzing on the clover near me. I only felt the fuzzy leaves and pods of the bean plant. As I picked each bean, placing it in a basket I brought with me from the kitchen, there was such a sense of thankfulness for the food God was providing right through my little garden. Each bean brought with it such a sense of thankfulness that I became very emotional and overwhelmed with just how blessed and provided for I am. What a blessing to say you ate food from a plant that you yourself watch grow from seeds that your own hands planted in the soil. I was moved that something as simple as picking beans could bring me such emotion.

Since the New Year, one of my goals was to practice being more mindful; being present in each moment of my day. This was one of those times where I felt very successful at concentrating on exactly what I was doing and letting my senses and thoughts surround only the task at hand. I felt so connected to myself and the earth and God in that moment. It was a good reminder to practice mindfulness even more each day.

I hope you enjoy Bird 1- a series of bird images I plan on creating over the next 6 months or so. If you've known me for a long time, you know I have a serious love of birds that I developed as a child from my father. I've decided to do a collection of bird images from old bird pictures I've taken through the years. Keep an eye out for them as we move through the second half of the year.

Blessings to each of you on this Thursday.

Also, I wanted to remind everyone that I will be working at Arts By the Bay Gallery tomorrow from 11:00AM-3:00PM! Stop in and see me and the five pieces of art I have hanging this show! Hope to see you there! You can keep track of my upcoming shifts and other events on my Upcoming Events tab.

xo

Kookaburra- Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

About this image: The kookaburra bird is one of my favorites. While visiting the St. Louis Zoo back in November, I came across this one. I took a reference photo and this morning I worked on creating this digital painting from that photo. I used both my desktop computer and my iPhone 6S Plus to create him.

I am sucker for laughter. My husband makes fun of me because no matter how bad my mood is, if a commercial comes on with giggling or laughing people, I start to crack up. I guess you could say I am an empathetic laugher (and also an empathetic crier). So, the kookaburra is one of my favorite because of its call which sounds like an obnoxious laugh. I can't help but smile every time I hear it. Unfortunately for me, this one did not sing for me despite me hanging out a bit hoping to hear it live. But, that is ok...he was adorable anyway and I enjoyed my visit with him.

I am pleased to announce that my image, The Shape of My Reality, was chosen to be a Featured Image in this week's TheAppWhisperer.com's Showcase. For the second week in a row one of my images was chosen for this prestigious honor. To have my work alongside some of my heroes such as Bob Weil, is just a dream come true. Thank you! This keeps me motivated to continue working hard at my art.

For those interested, below is my reference photo SOC (Straight Out of Camera).

I hope you have a wonderful Monday.  I know I plan on it!

xo

Rise Above the Fog- Mobile Art by Tracey Grumbach

About this image:  Lying on my back on a foggy, rainy morning at the beach in Florida, a seagull flew in to shore. It rode the waves of air streaming in from the Gulf, gliding on the wings of the storm that was rolling in from off shore. Oh, to have wings and fly. To lift our bodies from the gravity of earth and soar above the din, the noise that fills my head every time that I turn on the news or read Facebook or get Twitter alerts. I have to unplug. I can't take the yelling, the disagreeing, the blaming, the self pity, the...everything. I can't take everyone telling me what to think, when to think, and how to think, and when I don't think as they do, they tell me I am a horrible, terrible person and not supportive of meaningful things. It has rubbed me raw and I choose from today on to reduce the noise. Unplug. See the positive, choose love. I choose to lift, if not my body, then my soul, as the seagull does, above the fog, above the storm, and fly toward the light and calmer seas. I must, for my own well being, and so I will.

While doing my daily morning reading and devotion, I came across this advice from the Dalai Lama-

A great deal of suffering comes from having too many thoughts. And, at the same time, the way we think is not sane. We are only concerned by our immediate satisfaction and forget to measure its long-term advantages and disadvantages, either for ourselves or for others. But such an attitude always goes against us in the end. There is no doubt that by changing our way of seeing things we could reduce our current difficulties and avoid creating new ones.

Have a beautiful day, if only in your mind and soul, because the weather sure isn't helping matters.

xo

Where Joy Resides

Writers should find out where joy resides and give it a voice. 

Every bright word or picture is a piece of pleasure set afloat. 

The reader catches it, and he goes on his way rejoicing.

It's the business of art to send him that way as often as possible.

Nancy Horan- Under the Wide and Starry Sky

I haven't said much about the two sheriff's deputies that were killed in the line of duty, mostly because I don't know what to say...there just aren't words.

Last week the twins and I were running errands and happened to end up at the same shopping center where the LEOs were killed. I decided to tell the twins in age appropriate language and detail, what happened there and then go see the memorials set up inside and outside the Panera Bread. I also wanted to monetarily support the Panera Bread by patronizing the establishment since I know an event like this can carry a stigma with it. So, we went in and made an order. The twins asked a few questions and then we walked over to the two tables they have set up with various objects, letters, and pictures honoring the memory of the two officers. The three of us held hands and said a prayer for the officers, their families, and all the employees and patrons of the restaurant that had been there that day. It was more emotional than I thought it would be, considering we didn't personally know anyone who was involved. I cried a few tears from empathy (it brought back the feelings I had when I suddenly lost my father a year and a half ago.) and the twins went completely silent with heavy emotion.

I am glad I took them there. At eight years old they are now able to understand and express feelings that they never were able to do before. I think it is important to teach my kids about LEOs and the job they face everyday. I have many LEOs in my family and I refuse to let my children be touched by the people who hate and would like to bring harm to those who protect us everyday. This impromptu visit to the place where two officers were killed was a dialog opener for us. For that, I am thankful.

Happy Tuesday, y'all.  I hope you enjoy the digital art, "Where Joy Resides". To see more of my work in person, please visit Arts by the Bay Gallery in Havre de Grace.

P.S. If you are interested, I will be posting a Flip-a-gram later today on Nine Acres Designs Facebook page showing the progression of yesterday's piece, A Chronic Invalid, step by step as I created it. So, check in after lunch for that!

Adornment

Femininity is the divine adornment of humanity.

~James E. Faust

As the year draws to a close, I am glad I was able to carve out some time to create this one last piece in 2015. This week promises to be a busy one with wrapping up some real estate shoots, submitting a whole new set of pieces to go to the printer, wrapping up Nine Acres Designs, LLC end of year number crunching, and spending some family time. 

I had a nice break from homeschooling and loved spending time with my mother while she was in town for Christmas, but I am a creature of habit and crave the daily routine that keeps me sane. To be perfectly honest, Christmas is not one of my favorite holidays...the stress is overwhelming to me and the month plus of preparation that is over in a half day is disappointing and frustrating. On top of that, I desperately miss my grandparents, uncle, and father at this time of year. So, I am happy to be flipping the calendar to a new year and getting a fresh start.

Each January I come up with a word for the year instead of declaring a New Year's resolution. I don't believe in resolutions, so I will be thinking this week to determine a word for 2016. Productivity keeps popping into my brain, but I am not sold on that, so I will have to do more thinking. 

I hope everyone had a great holiday and I am wishing you all a wonderful and safe New Year. Keep your eyes out for information on limited prints coming soon of Adornment and other pieces.  Once I decided what will go to the printer, I will put out an inventory.  Hugs!

Soar

Osprey in flight taken at Barefoot Beach in Florida
Canon 5D MarkIII with L series 100-400mm lens zoomed to 400mm handheld

You know what makes my heart soar more than anything else in the world? When I hear compliments about my kids from others, especially strangers. This happened so much this past weekend that I was on cloud 9 as a mama.

During our local recreational council's Opening Day for baseball,  I had several instances when people came up to me and asked me who my kids were.  Telling them the name of my twins, three separate people told me what a sweet, special girl my daughter was.  One mom told me she had just moved to the area mid-year and her son was placed in my daughter's class. She said my daughter was so welcoming to him as a new student and took him under her wing until he became comfortable with his new school.  It made my heart thump with pride.  Another mom told me that my daughter was "the sweetest thing on earth" and that she loved everyone!  Yes, this is true, my daughter does love everyone!  The last person that day was a grandma who told me she just couldn't get over how happy my youngest daughter was and how much she smiles!  It is sweet to hear such great compliments about your kids, but even sweeter still for people to take the time to give the compliments.

My oldest daughter had a very busy weekend...on Friday night to Saturday afternoon she had overnight 4H training to be a camp counselor for younger children this summer.  This is a volunteer position and she has put a ton of training hours in and has committed to two full weeks of overnight camp to counsel the younger children this summer.  When I went to pick her up on Saturday afternoon, the person in charge of the camp complimented my oldest daughter and said what a pleasure she was to have in the program. Direct from camp, I had to take my darling daughter to her high school because she had a large role in a play the drama department was putting on.  When I bought the tickets to go in, her drama teacher said what a wonderful actress my daughter was and said how she loves having her in class and looks forward to having her next year in Drama 3. In addition to that, on Mother's Day, my oldest daughter's soccer coach invited her to play as a guest player on his elite team because she is such a hard worker and is very "coachable."  So, on Mother's Day, I sat and watched my firecracker go out of her comfort zone and play a game with a group of girls she had never met before.  I was so proud of her.

So, this Mother's Day was a great one, considering all the wonderful compliments I received regarding my children.  Parenting is hard work and it is a nice payoff when you hear how well your kids are received in the community!

Have a wonderful day, y'all!  xo

Fly Away From Here

Yesterday, after a real estate shoot, I stopped by a nearby park to highlight the fact it was so close to the home that is going up for sale.  While I was there, I walked a short way down a walking path and was awed at that amount and variety of birds swarming the area.  Disappointment ensued when I realized I didn't have any other lens besides my 24-70mm with me...how would I ever get close enough to snag a good picture of these feathered friends?  I had left my heavy 100-400mm home since I didn't anticipate needing it on a real estate job!  Darn it!

Well, these birds were pretty used to people because they let me fairly close to them.  This little one let me right to the border of the path before decided enough was enough and he took off further back into the reeds.  Let me tell you...I have plans to head back to that spot very soon armed and ready with my 100-400mm!

Please say a quick prayer for me today as I am struggling to get well from a head cold that started over a week ago.  Now my left ear is completely filled with fluid and the cold has migrated to my chest.  With my immune system so depleted from fighting Lyme and the co-infections, this could be a dangerous situation for me.  I am heading to the doctor this afternoon, but I could use some prayers for getting well.  All I want to do is fly away from here...fly away from the cold, this body, the stress, everything.  I want to take flight like my friend here and just go...

Sneak Attack

Today I am thankful to be home after spending the day in the hospital yesterday.

There is certainly something to be said about sleeping in your own bed

as opposed to a hospital gurney.

Unfortunately, the start of school also means the start of many illnesses 

coming home from all four kids being in close indoor contact with other children.

Normally it is just a part of life, but for me it is dangerous because my immune system

is so depleted that a simple virus can land me in the hospital with 

severe dehydration and in need of IV fluids.

Severe dehydration can then cause heart rate issues and shortness of breath,

which is what happened to me.

After a course of anti-vomiting medication and several bags of IV fluids,

I am now home again.

Thank goodness...

This image was taken near my feeder when two finches decided to 

try and peck each other's eyes out.

No harm was done to either bird that I could tell and both

eventually agreed to feed on opposite sides of the feeder.

;)

Hummer

Today I am thankful for the wildlife around my home.

I have a hummingbird feeder just outside my living room window

and a seed feeder in the yard beyond that.  

Now that the kids are back in school and I am still pretty much homebound,

these little creatures and their noises keep me company on most days.

I haven't had the strength or energy to pick up my 5D lately,

but I tried a few shots yesterday (through my window) before I got too exhausted.

I was able to capture this little beauty.

I can't help but smile and be happy when watching my feathered friends.

I will certainly miss the hummers when they disappear soon 

for their fall migration.

xo

Spring Chirper

I took this earlier in the spring when the leaves were just popping out.

Anyone know what kind of bird this is?

Every day I am thankful for the amount and variety of birds I have here

on These Nine Acres.

Their song, their presence, their activity makes me very happy.

It is the simple things in life that make me smile.

I wanted to say THANK YOU to all of our military members

who have paid the ultimate price for my personal freedoms.

Please remember them today.

xo

Wise As An...Well, You Know

Today I am thankful for and excited about starting a new class.

As not to overwhelm myself, cause stress, and send

my autoimmune disorder into overdrive,

I chose to take an online class from home.

It will be my first ever art class...beginning drawing.

Yep, this should be interesting.

I have trouble drawing straight lines and circles.

Doodles I can do, but "real" drawing...nope.

Nothing like challenging myself!

Proud as a Peacock

Last night I ate at the restaurant where my oldest son works.

He has been working there for many months now,

so we decided to surprise him by stopping in for dinner.

Imagine how proud I was when his coworkers and

the owner of the establishment came over, 

introduced themselves, and told me what a wonderful

person and hard worker he was.

They all said, "We all love him around here!"

Yes, I was as proud as this peacock when I heard that!

As a mother, you only hope that your children will 

grow up to be hard working, smart, kind souls

and when you see that coming to fruition in your kids,

it makes a mother proud.

xo

More Than Different

Thought I would share this rare bird with you so it could

brighten your day as it did mine.

I had the privilege of seeing this beautiful creature

at the Plumpton Park Zoo on Mother's Day and I was 

fascinated with how regal and detailed the albino peacock

is despite its lack of color.

I do have to say, though, that peacocks are much more fun

to look at then to HEAR.

They have quite the annoying squawk!

Have a beautiful and rare day. 

xo

P.S.  For some reason this picture shows a bit darker on Blogger than it does on my computer.  Not sure why, it just does ;)

The Blackbird

I do not know which to prefer,

The beauty of inflections

Or the beauty of innuendos,

The blackbird whistling 

or just after.

~Wallace Stevens

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

This blackbird landed upon a branch 

while walking with my daughter yesterday.

She sent my attention to it, suggesting that it would make a lovely image

what with the lighting and the bare branches and its clear outline

set apart from the limb.

I happened to agree with her.

xo

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Every spring for a few days each year, 

I am lucky enough to see these beautiful, shy birds at my feeder.

I so wish they would stick around for the summer, but alas,

despite Maryland being on the map for their "summer" range,

they are never spotted here in my rural Harford County location for more than a few days.

They have a beautiful song that is similar to an American Robin song,

only happier and more cheerful.

I had to shoot this image with my 400mm lens through glass

because they are very shy and cautious at the feeder.

Despite sitting still and quietly for an hour on my porch,

waiting for them to fly down to the feeder 

from their high perch in the cypress trees,

they never obliged my patience.

It's ok, though.

I don't mind enjoying them for a few days with 

my eyes and ears instead of the lens.

It makes their visit that much more special.

For more information about the Rose Breasted Grosbeak

and to hear their beautiful song, please visit 

the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

xo