Favorite {Photo} Friday #43--Ducks in a Row

I have all sorts of different ways to choose a photo every week. This week my method was to think about the way I've been feeling lately, the mood of the week so to speak, and then scan through a bunch of photo thumbnails until one spoke to that mood.

Lately I'm feeling like I'm just trying to get things in order. I'm trying to keep up on my everyday tasks while also preparing for future big things. BIG things. Two of my biggest weekends of 2009 are back-to-back in just a few short weeks. On May 2-3 I have the Avon Walk, and then the very next week I have Inspired. I'm trying to work on training and fundraising for the Avon Walk (and worrying I will not meet my minimum donation amount to walk). Printing supply lists for the Inspired workshops (and another class I'm taking April 18) and trying to gather all the supplies I own and obtain the ones I don't (at the lowest possible cost, in an area without many decent art supply stores!). Trying to get my house into some semblance of order so that when I have people over they do not think that we just moved in two months ago (and for my own peace of mind and to quiet that darned Spring Cleaning bug). Selling jewelry for Easter and Mother's Day and trying to keep track of who ordered what and when they need it and which supplies I need to order to replenish my stash. Making lists upon lists in order to try to keep track of it all. In other words, I'm trying to get my ducks in a row.


Okay, so these are seagulls, but as soon as I saw this thumbnail I thought, "Yes! Exactly."

This photo was taken in Oregon in December of 2006. Jason and I flew home from Italy for Christmas and made a special trip out to the coast while we were there. I just read The House at Sugar Beach by Helene Cooper for a book club (it was okay, I enjoyed it but wouldn't highly recommend it) and one paragraph really stood out for me. "...[The ocean]'s presence assured me that there were other people out there, living other lives on the other side. The ocean connected us to the world, giving me a sense of security.... being near the ocean made me feel that there was something out there for me...." Personally, I would add that it makes me feel humbled and gives me perspective... I am just one little person in this big huge world, facing this big huge ocean, and my problems are not all that different from--and definitely not any more important than--everyone else's, on either side of that massive expanse of water. I have it good.

And now, I'm just crossing my fingers that the little ducks I get into the row actually stay there. :)

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Right now I am off to walk 20 miles. THAT IS INSANE. Seriously. I'm all set with my new pedometer watch and my new mp3 player that is exactly the same as my old one (thank you, eBay!) and now has all the same songs, too, after my late-night "I can't sleep so I might as well get something done" session last night. I'm upset that I won't be able to join my team in fundraising tonight at Wal-Mart... Lord knows that I need all the donations I can get to make my minimum! But after staying up until 2 a.m. I had to sleep in late (a 20-mile walk requires a well-rested person!) and then I had a few hours' worth of other things I had to get done (jewelry shipping, custom orders and delivery, getting dinner in the crockpot, making and eating a big healthy lunch to sustain me for 20 miles), so here we are at 2 p.m. and I'm headed out to walk for 5 hours or more. So I'll join the team tomorrow for fundraising at the Wal-Mart.

Up for this weekend: Using my 30% off entire purchase coupon at Michael's to hopefully finish up my shopping for my Inspired supply list. Team fundraising at Wal-Mart tomorrow. Making five more custom-order necklaces. Finding a recipe that involves asparagus and artichoke hearts (I can't just steam the asparagus and dump the artichoke hearts on there, can I?) and then shopping for the ingredients. Finding a few bottles of wine to go with Easter dinner of quiche and lamb. Starting my pages for the art journal swap and at the very least coming up with a finalized idea so that I can whip them all out early next week and get them in the mail to Jilliene. Walking 9 miles on Sunday morning. Heading to Andrea and Scott's for an early Easter dinner. Whew.

Wish me luck! If you can find it in your heart and pocketbook to donate to my walk for the Avon Foundation, please do so here. If you can find it in your heart but not in your pocketbook, then please leave me some words of encouragement and love! You really have no idea how much it helps me to keep going when I'm out there walking.

Have a great weekend and a very happy and blessed Easter, Passover, or just plain old weekend! :)