Author Archives: Annie

About Annie

Welcome to the Curious Mind Garden. My name is Annie, and this is my little patch of cyberspace. I post about things that interest me, and I find a lot of things interesting. :)

Today, I am grateful for

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amazing works of art that stir the intellect and foment creative instincts. So, thank you, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne and Picasso. And thank you, Gertrude, Leo, Michael and Sarah Stein, for having the incredible sensitivity of mind to value and support these artists and their works before the rest of the art world caught on.

(Guess where I spent yesterday! If you guessed the Steins Collect at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Picasso exhibit at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, you’d be right!)

Creative Check-In

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My boys are essentially done with our formal homeschooling for the year. I’ve also made the choice to cut back on my book reviews and some of my blogging for the summer. So, I have more freedom to pursue other creative projects consistently. I’ve been brainstorming some goals for my summer and have decided on the following:

1. My friend is expecting a baby in October, so I’ve decided to knit a baby blanket for her. I’m using Plymouth’s Fantasy Naturale No. 9903 (raspberry, white and mint) to make an Eyelet and Garter Baby Afghan (C112). 

2. I want to write poetry again because I feel that I’ve neglected that aspect of my writing to my detriment. To that end, I’ve promised my writing group to present a new poem on June 17.

3. This past spring, I attended a SCBWI conference and came away with an idea for an early chapter book series. I would like to tackle that project this summer. I will need to (a) read a bit more about the genre, (b) research background for my book, (c) create characters that will interest children, and (d) plot out a story line. I’m also looking into joining a critique group for children’s book writers to push myself to reach my goal.

4. I’ve made a goal to try a new recipe each week with my sons. This week, I am trying new potato & turkey skillet supper with chard, feta, lemon and grape tomatoes from the June 2011 issue of Clean Eating magazine.

5. I’m hoping to get back to some art journaling, but I haven’t come up with a definite project yet.

With this list posted, I intend to record my progress in future posts.

King of the Hill

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King of the Hill
I think I like this shot for what is hidden in it. The orange and white cat is Moxie. He’s two years old and has acted like a foster parent to Stormie, the grey cat, since we rescued Stormie as a kitten last year. Although younger, Stormie is almost double Moxie’s weight, and they are starting to vie to see who is top cat.

In this picture, Stormie has obtained the prized position on top of the kitty home. However, Moxie is unwilling to relinquish his title, so he is literally lying in a hole to keep his place.

Despite all that political intrigue, they look so serene.

Spring Flowers

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I found some lovely blossoms in my garden today. I bought these bulbs some time ago. When I didn’t get them planted in a timely manner, my Mom quietly planted them for me. I sort of forgot about them till I came on these lovely surprises. Thanks, Mom!

pink tulipanemone

Our redbud is also in bloom.

redbud in bloom