Ants on Butter

This was posted on facebook on March 6 by Kenneth Francis, Jr. with this caption. "Do NOT eat what ants would NOT touch. Top right: margarine, left: reduced fat margarine, bottom right: natural butter."

Living Chair

This was posted on facebook by Organic Green Roots on March 11. It was titled: Living Art, Ten years in the making.

Title Search Humor

Part of rebuilding New Orleans caused residents often to be challenged with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two centuries, houses have been passed along through generations of family, sometimes making it quite difficult to establish ownership. Here's a great letter an attorney wrote to the FHA on behalf of a client: You have to love this lawyer... A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply: (Actual reply from FHA): "Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin." Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows: (Actual response): "Your letter regarding title in Case No.189156 has been received. I note you wish to have title extended further than the 206 years covered by the present application. I was unaware any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application. For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France , which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain . The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabella. The good Queen Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus 's expedition. Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume God also made the part of the world called Louisiana . God; therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it, and the FHA. I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our loan?" The loan was immediately approved.

Callings 14

This is the final entry in our series.

Callings 12 & 13

Callings 10 & 11

I took a red poinsettia star and desaturated it for this image. I then turned into a rainbow star for the following image. I am still experimenting with different rainbow designs.

Callings 8 & 9

Callings 6 & 7

I was surprised to see this quote by Nietzche. It doesn't sound like nihilism.

This is an interesting observation.

Callings 4 & 5

Don't we behave like these monkeys sometimes?

Callings 2 & 3

Callings 1

I have finished reading a book called Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy. It is an inspiring book, so I want to share some of the quotes included. I have taken images from my 2011 poinsettia designs and used them to illustrate the texts. This is the first entry.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

This is a digital star made with photos of poinsettia leaves. I created it as part of my 2011 Christmas card design, but use it here to illustrate another Chinese proverb.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

I'm offering one more illustrated thought of the week. I have been reworking my barrel cactus designs and have added this digital flowers star. This could be my life's motto.

Illustrated Thought of the Week

I just ran across this quote, and like it so much that I am adding to this collection.

Abundance with Hedgehog Flowers

More Inspiration

I have used digital flower stars made with photos of hegehog cactus flowers to illustrate these two messages.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

I recently bought a book of poetry by the Sufi poet, Rumi. It inspired me to share this quote as an illustrated thought of the week. I paired the quote with a teddy bear cholla star. Have a good week.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

This will be my last weekly post in this sereis. I need to concentrate on other things. I will offer an occasional piece in this vein, and I will animate some of them.
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Have a blessed Easter, evryone.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

This is another calenduala star illustrating the quote from Nietzsche. I was surprised to see this attributed to him. Perhaps I need to revisit him.

Mongoose Versus Cobra

I have read about a mongoose being able to kill a cobra, but I have never seen it in action. This is an interesting video.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

I subscribe to the Quote of the Day, and this was posted a few months ago. One thing I like about it is that it makes me look up the people I don't know. Melody Beattie has written a lot about codependency, and coined the term.
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I created this calendula star for my next animation project.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

This is a line from Amanda Mcbroom's beautiful song The Rose. I am always in awe of the lyrics to this song. This is my first attempt at creating a rainbow flower star.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

I wrote this Irish blessing for bicyclists to go with my 2010 bike mandala.

ILLUSTRATED THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

Leading up to St Patrick's Day, I offer another Irish blessing. Have a blessed week.

Animal Friends Video

I like the announcer's commentary at the end. It seems that animals often put us to shame.