RE”SIGH”CLED TRASH

“RE”SIGH”CLED TRASH”!   What?  Well, I’m sighing today.  Maybe even resighing. Sort of recycling my sighs.  PIMP LOL. Re”sigh”cling!  But no complaints!  Because I know! After you sigh? Don’t cling to it. Don’t hold on to it.  Let it go. Trash it and move on. Take a step up! You’re not alone!  We’ve all felt like re”sigh”clyed trash.  Keep looking up and moving on up.  The sign reads: resighcled trash that-a-way.  Up!  We have value even on our trashiest day.  Remember how you love your kids no matter? That’s how God loves us.  And, that’s a sigh of relief.  A good sigh!   Our trash can always be turned into treasure. God’s.  Oh! And, why this photo?  Well the sign there gave me the idea.  There was a trash can with a sign that read “Recycled Trash” pointing to the can.  Yep!  That’s my mind…  Have an in”sigh”tful day!  Okay.  Now you can sigh.  It’s over.  PIMP LOL.     Trace

Fender Lunchboxes & Musical Food!

This is the lunchbox I used to pack for Garnet Rose for school. A Fender amp lunchbox. I packed music for her stomach. PIMP LOL. Like “string” cheese and fretzels! PIMP LOL. So, what else can you pack in a Fender Lunchbox? Besides string cheese and fretzels? Juice, right? Gotta have juice. And, jam gotta have jam! PIMP LOL. Love to hear your clever music foods! But, no matter what you’re packin’? Lunch or musically or life? Pack in some love. It’s music to the ears, the eyes, the soul! And, the stomach! A little love can be quite filling. And fulfilling! Have a full day. A filling day. And, a fulfilling day! PIMP LOL. OH! And, don’t have any fender benders. Unless it’s on the guitar! Thanks for joining me in all the photo celebration and memories of her BD this weekend.   Trace

Sacrifice & Family!

This is a fave photograph of my daughter, Garnet Rose, to celebrate her 18th BD in 4 days. She is sitting on a foot stool of my great grandmother’s. Of course, she could fit her whole self on that stool which was sitting right next to her very own antique rocking chair. She was so small but could sing and do anything. It was strange today as we celebrated my daughter’s birthday with my parents and brother and sister because I found out my “real” blood grandmother died this week at 91. I never knew my real Dad or his parents, but my step-dad, Bill, has treated me like his daughter and been there since the day of my daughter’s birth at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Thanks Mom and Dad. Also, a good thing is that she lived until 91. The thing that stood out to me about finding that out today is just to take time to be with your family. That’s all. Take time to sit on a stool or rock in a chair and be with your parents and grandparents, kids and grandkids. My folks sacrificed alot today to be here and so love them for that. Sacrifice... No greater love...    Trace

Take time to swing! You can swing it!

Give a darn! And, knock their socks off!

“Give A Darn” and "knock Their Socks Off!" What? Well, last night I was so tired and starting to come down with a bug again, so I was eating a few bites of apple and banana to fight it when I decided to do some of the sewing. My glasses are old, so I put my contacts on and then my glasses over them to be able to see that close. Serious! So, anyways, I had been saying I was going to darn a few things and sew buttons back on a few shirts for my family all week. Along with writing a promo for a radio show. I am not one to put off anything. I like to do my best. I don’t like anyone to think I don’t give a darn. Especially when it comes to sewing. PIMP LOL. But, today I am spending the day with my extended family. Eating out at Dixie Crossroads for my girl’s birthday. Yes, me. Eating out. Pray I don’t get sick or dizzy. But, it doesn’t matter cuz I’m going. Why? Because I care. I do give a darn! I’ll button it up right now and get ready. And, I so will do the sewing and the promo late tonight or tomorrow. Doing is what I do best. Working…creating…sewing things up! Love you guys. See you later. This day is sewed up! PIMP LOL. By the way, when my girl was very young, a friend of mine’s little girl used to call her darnit because she couldn’t say her “G”’s. Neither could Garnet. It was so cute to see them play together. I never forgot that. Love you Stacey! Miss you guys. One last thing? Sometimes, to show you give a darn, you have to button it up and sew it up! You know? Be quiet and get some work done. Darn it! PIMP LOL. Have a fun day all. Don’t let anyone think you don’t give a darn. Go ahead!  Give a darn and knock their socks off while you're at it. Be excellent. And, be excellent to one another…   Trace

The Stoned Ages

“The Stoned Ages!” “Rather Be Rocked Than Stoned”! No, I didn’t just crawl out from under a rock. Though, I have felt like it back in the day. But, that is me crawling out of a rock back in the stone ages. PIMP LOL. Not really! I’m not that old! The only rocky ages I climbed out of were the “stoned” ages. And, I am so thankful to be out! The music was great, but not the life. That’s why we love to mix the music styles we love with heart and soul. Try to have fun and make a difference. Tell a story. Actually this photo is me coming out of one of the rock homes of neighbors of The Flintstones on a summer trip with my Grandparents back to Pennsylvania! Yabba-dabba-do! Rock on! And, you know, we do all have those days where we just want to hide under a rock. And, when we emerge we don’t have a clue what’s going on. Me? When I feel like hiding under a rock? I hide under the Rock. Then, I’m not clue-less. I know it’s in God’s hands while I rest. When I’m ready to come back out, I stand on the Solid Rock. No rubble. No stoning! Just solid rockin’! Rather be rocked than stoned! Yabba dabba do! You feel like hidin’? Hide under the Rock. He’s not even a stone’s throw away. Trace

Posers & White Collar Workers

"Posers & White Collar Workers"! What? Well, at one time in my life I was a white collar worker. What did I do? Well, I went to concerts and worked hard at obtaining autographs on my jean jackets under the collar. Which I later sewed white lace over all of them to protect them and to just look cool. Yep! That was back in the white collar days of my youth. I have “The Doobie Brothers” autographs on this jacket. Pretty wild hair and pants here, huh? Collarful stuff! PIMP LOL. Yes, I like to be a li’l artsy on some of the photos, but really the jeans and jacket are blue and the lace is white. I just like color. All collars. Especially the ones with bands' autographs under them. PIMP LOL. Colorful stuff. Colorful days. Oh! And Sam took this shot at our old house on the river to remember this day right after the concert. He makes me pose! Does that make me a poser? PIMP LOL. Well, I hope you liked the story. I wouldn't want you to get hot under the collar. Just autographs! PIMP LOL.   Trace

Honor Rolls and Honor Roles

“Honor Rolls & Honor Roles!” So, here’s a collage of more old photos to celebrate my girl turning 18 this weekend. These are from one of her award events. You can see how excited she is to be getting her award at Challenger Elementary. She is bouncing with joy as she walk-runs to get her achievement. Her countenance jumps off the photo. I am so thankful I got to be there with her to see my girl get AB honor roll. It’s an honor to be a mother, to be a parent. Being a parent is a role we should bounce with joy to play. An “honor” role we play. Even when we don’t know all the answers. We trust our God and they see that iin us. It’s like the race we run in life. Are we running, even bouncing with joy, to be rewarded at just the end? Or is life rewarding because we appreciate and so live the steps, the walk, the race, the journey, in between, also. When, I get to the end, I want my God to be so proud of me and say “you have played your role with honor”. Like I am of my girl each step, each milestone, each smile, each tear… So, I say to her and to everyone: keep walkin’…with joy!  The bounce counts!  Let them see your bounce countenance.  Every step of the Way!      Trace.

Captive Audiences

"Captive Audiences"! My family laughs at my jokes, reads my stories, enjoys my artwork & listens to me when I sing! Course, stocks help to get their attention. Every family should have some. Take stock in your family. I guarantee they will make time for you. PIMP LOL. Have a fun day. Go ahead! Better to be laughing in stocks than a laughingstock! Sam’s final words before I let him out of the stocks, “Shure, I will go like your photo on FB that “Shure Inc.” shared. Shure, I like it. It's cooll. Now, let me out. It’s your turn to take some stock & listen to my ideas.” What? We are family. We share. We take turns. We take time. Take time to stop by my link & like Shure & check out my photo art there. I mean, here: http://www.facebook.com/shureinc Cuz we are FB family! Oh! And, One last thing? Our band used to play for captive audiences all over the state. Prisons. For real!      Trace

It's a Shure Thing!

IT'S A SHURE THING!" What? Well, I was listening to "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" & working on artwork for a song & vid & I got to thinking 'bout my old Shure Mic & a photo I recently shot of the river. You know how my mind goes. So, I came up with this ad for Shure microphones to give them props. I used some cloning, blending, drawing & several other free photo art on-line programs to get myself sinking in the river of tears. Using free software frees you to be creative. You have to be. PIMP LOL. Anyways, have a fun day. Feel free to create. BTW, I still use my Shure Unisphere with a volume knob & I love it. High impedance, indeed! Course, I also love my rose mics that grow wild here in Funkytown. PIMP LOL. Oh! And, click on the photo to get the umm..bigger picture & fine print! You will see that Mike's name is "Shure Thing"!   Trace

Shred Guitar & Sew Clothes” OR “Wear Shredded Clothes & Play Guitar Sew-Sew”! "Jean"ius!

“Shred Guitar & Sew Clothes” OR “Wear Shredded Clothes & Play Guitar Sew-Sew”! "Jean"ius! What? Yes, I am a jean freak. Or dungarees, if you prefer! Or Levi’s! And, I am a "jean"ius when it comes to uses for jeans that don’t fit right or I see some at a garage sale that have something cool on them. I have all kinds of ideas for them around the house. Jean hats, seat cushions, pillows and purse. Or just decorate or patch or accessorize and keep wearing them! And, I def don’t throw away shredded jeans. I wear them! They match my shredded fingerless gloves. I used to say that I shredded on guitar and sewed clothes. Now, I play guitar sew-sew and wear shredded clothes. You might say I am a “jean”ius. Or a Levite. Or, that I am hungaree for dungaree! Or, not! PIMP LOL. It doesn’t take a “jean”ius to figure out that everyone is a genius at one thing. Being theirself. My Ancient Chinese Proverb say: is much easier to work towards perfection and achieve excellence than think you have achieved perfection and stop working on being excellent! Now, that’s genius! Be excellent and genius at being you. A real genius figures out that it’s not just all about the “jeans” and the “I”. It’s about the “us”. “Jean” “I” “US”! Do what you do that makes you “you”! Then share it with the rest of us. Me? The collage says it all. I am I'm quaintly eclectic, saintly electric and faintly eccentric! Taintly that the truth! As always, click on the photo to get the umm...bigger picture. Details! And, don't have a sew-sew day! Shred! Trace

PETS & CURSORS & MADE IN THE SHADES!

I've had many pets in my life and family. A pig, cat, dog, snake, squirrel, Jackson Chameleon, fish, giant spider, lizards, etc. My pet now? I have a mouse! Yep! A mouse and he's trained! Kind of. That’s right! He seems to be happy and is always on a roll. But, every time I point and click? He cursors. He has a fancy pad, matching rug, a ball and 2 clicks to hang with. A right and a left. Though, that does seem to cause problems politically with choosing between the right and the left. Makes him cursor a lot. I think he's got it made in the shade. Or at least, the shades. I mean just look at him. His own cool shades! I take care of it and there are no strings attached, so you’d think it’d behave and control the cursors. Well, I finally told him to get the LED out! It got the point! And, then things clicked. My point? Have fun. No cursors! They’re hard on the people in your click. Hope everything clicks for you today. Wear your shades. At least, you'll have it made in the shades! Last thought? Better to have a wireless mouse, than a mouseless wire? Right? TNT LOL!  One more thing?  My mouse doesn't eat cheese. He likes to keep a stockpile of cookies close by. But, he likes me cuz I'm cheesy! So, what's your fave pet besides your mouse?     Trace

Sub Titles: Speaker For Yourself

“Sub Titles: Speaker For Yourself”. Some Sub Titles aren’t really necessary. What? Was watching a foreign film with subtitles and the words didn’t match the actions and everyone was talking. I said, “Turn up the subtitles”. PIMP LOL. What I said was funny, though, and true. Some things are not necessary and are stating the obvious and/or won’t help. Or the actions don’t match the words coming out. Like those subtitles on movies. Turning them up won’t do anything. You can’t turn up subtitles. You just hear more foreign talking out of sync and not matching the actions. Like when we speak to others and our actions don’t match. They’re not gonna get it. We don’t need sub titles to explain our actions. Our actions need to speak for themselves. All this got me thinking about music. And, subs on speakers. You know, subwoofers! If they had titles on them, it would be “If you are close enough to read this, your ears will bleed” And “Objects close enough to read this will experience their heart coming out of their chest”. Right? Sometimes, no Sub Titles are necessary! They “speaker” for themselves. Sometimes, stating the obvious is obviously harmful. In the speaker case, and in life. People don’t always need to be told the obvious if your actions speak loud enough. Let your life and actions be above reproach, not sub… How do I know about the speaker thing? Speakering for myself, I’ve been to, and in, enough concerts and got a little too close to the speakers, many a time! What? I can't hear you! PIMP LOL.  My final thought? God shows us His heart in His actions.  Just look around at creation. And, His subtitles match His actions, His heart. The Bible.  For me, I want to display God's heart in my actions so they will want to know Him and read the bible. My above reproach titles better match up with my actions. Or they will be "sub"titles. Trace

Stand ins are stand up!

"Stand up guys sometimes stand in or sit down. But they always get down!"  What?  Well, we were short a guy, so he sat in.  He played stand up guitar.  He was a real stand up guy for sitting in with us, though a li’l scary at times.  He kept adding metal licks to our blues.  Be a stand up guy.  Help someone out. Have a fun day. Remember…  Sometimes, being a stand up guy requires sitting down.   And, getting down!  That's heavy!  Metal!  I’ll be back…  You know you just said that like Arnold Schwarzenegger. PIMP LOL TNT.       Trace

WALL FLOWERS & ROSE MICS!

“WALL FLOWERS & ROSE MICS!” I was just out pickin’ Roses. Well, Rose Mics, that is! They grow wild here in Funky Town. And! The newest ones are voice activated! That's cultivating! I mean captivating! Well, both, I guess. PIMP LOL. Have a captivating day by cultivating! Find the rose amongst the thorns. Activate your life. You have a voice. Cultivate flowery relationships. Don’t be a wall flower. Unless you get yourself attached to other walls, too! PIMP LOL. Even wall flowers can bloom! Be an off the wall flower! As much as I love flowers and vines growing on walls, I say be off the wall!!! Have a blooming captivating day. I need to go pick some more Rose Mics and my other flowers! What am I thankful for today? Flowers and ideas about Rose Mics. And, especially for the God who made them both magnificently. Flowers and ideas! A li’l off the wall? Yep! Thankful for that, too. Trace

Life! Open 24 hours. My front porch blog? Open 24 hrs.

Through the Wringer!

Sometimes when I’m doing the wash, I don’t whether to throw in the towel or curl up a big old wet one and snap myself. Out of it! Yep. Been one of those weeks. I know it all comes out in the wash. I just don't wanna go through the wringer again! PIMP LOL. No complaints. FBing my dirty laundry? No. Just a li'l humor to keep us all from being agitated. Hope it helps. You gotta have humor to deal with health, right? I remember a washer like this down in the cellar at our house in Dover, Pa. Ahhh... Memories... Thank you God for humor and hope! And for towels and memories. AND! For snapping us out of it. Cuz, sometimes it takes a wet towel snap to snap us out of throwing in the towel.    Trace

EYEFUL OF THE EIFFEL INSTEAD OF THE AWFUL!

I have a friend, Chris who I used to work with at the Space Center, who rode his bike all over our beautiful country. He would train by riding down beautiful River Road in Cocoa past our house very early in the morn and yell out good morning Tracy. We didn't have AC so the windows were usually always open at that time. He also traveled to Ireland, Germany and France. He always shared his photos and had many stories at our annual lunch get-togethers. He told me how, over in Europe, he would bicycle through towns and see all these store windows. Which sounds normal, but in the windows? Were prostitutes! Naked and waving. He said he about fell off his bike with that eyeful. He was expecting to get an eyeful of the Eiffel. Not an eyeful of awful. PIMP LOL. He had lots of biking stories, like the gorgeous flowers in April. In Paris. But this one “spoke” to me. I could really picture it. You know? Get an eyeful of the Eiffel. What did you think I meant? PIMP LOL. Anyways, whatever you thought, have a fun day. Take a bike ride or a walk or read a book or watch a show and see the world. Get an eyeful of man’s works and God’s creation. It’s easy on the eyes. Quite magnificent. My last thought? When you look upon someone, get an eyeful of the Eiffel instead of an eyeful of the awful. You know? Look beyond the storefront. See the beauty and magnificence in someone. You just never know what they are going through. Hope this got the wheels of your bike turning. Or, at least the wheels of your mind. I know it “spoke” to me. Oh! And, thank you, April and Chris, for the lovely photos from your trips to Paris. I feel like I have been there.      Trace

These boots are made for walkin...

“Shake Your Boots-y or Shakin’ In Your Boots! One Boot At A Time”! What? Yep! Still putting my boots on one boot at a time. Like everybody else! Unless you got a better way. I'm always open for ideas. Putting your 1st boot on is half the battle! Literally! PIMP LOL. Ever since I got sick and my life changed, my boots are my symbol to get up, get my boots on and get my encouragement on. To kick boot and never give up! To have a kick boot day! To be encouraged and encourage someone. Okay, 2 jokes: what do you call it when you're shivering cold and puttin' your boots on? Umm...shakin' your boots-y? And: don't give anyone the boot! Unless, of course, you give them the other one. Just sayin'! Cuz 2 boots are always better than 1. PIMP LOL! But, really? I would rather be shakin’ by boots-y and shakin’ in my boots TRYIN’ than leaving my boots in the closet. Don’t be afraid. You are not alone. We may make the boots, but God makes the walk! He is my strength, my walk. Gotta go. My girl and I are cleaning out our closets and boots and all. Organizing and getting rid of! Speaking of getting rid of? I'm going. I'm going.... Going to kick my boots-y and encourage myself to walk on. That can be hard sometimes. Have a kick boot day. Encourage someone. Maybe even yourself. It’s contagious. Some days are hard, some are harder. Some days you gotta wear your boots laced halfway up and look good and some days you just gotta lace them the whole way up. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps cuz these boots are made for walkin’… Trace

Thunder for the dry bark of the soul!

Was feeling a li'l dry, both my skin from the sunburn and my soul, but the rain peeled back the bark of my morning. Ahhh... My life storms are no match for the magnificent storms we experience with the thunder and lightning and rain displays. Thank you God for your storms. They calm mine. A li'l bark is no match for thunder! PIMP LOL. So, let's calm down and no barking today. No matter how dry we feel! Take our storms to God. Just like to add that my face is cracking. Me up! PIMP LOL. It was too much sun on the face. How 'bout you? Is it cracking you up? What?  Gotta have humor, too.  To survive the storms.   Trace

A letter from the beach of my heart...

Click on the letter to read!  Have a lovely day!  Trace

Don't "suck"cumb... Just suck it up!

"SUCK IT"! What? Oh my! Someone just said, “suck it” to me. I was thinking about yelling something back, but decided not to “suck”cumb to the whole nastay talkin’ thang! I saw them again on the way out of the store & thanked them for putting the idea in my head to get some Popsicles. Sorry, I couldn’t help but “suck”cumb some Popsicle in this hot weather. Especially, after getting A LOT of sun the other day. I proceeded to show them the box & asked if they wanted to “suck it”? They finally cracked a smile. I told them to watch out or your face may freeze that way. You know? Frozen from the Popsicles and smiles? I smiled… I had not “suck”cumbed. They had. Be cool. Don't "suck"cumb!   Just suck it up!  PIMP LOLTrace

Something's afoot! It's Toesday!

If something's afoot, you better stay on your toes.  What? I knew something was afoot! when I got up our of bed this morning. Today is Toesday! Keep walkin'... Cuz when something is afoot, It's a foot you need. Or two! So, you wiggle your toes and keep walkin'... Right? Never give up! When things get hot, like beach sand, keep walkin'. Or, those toes will be "toes"st! As in, burnt toast! The photo is portrait of my foot at the beach... I call it my "toetrait"! Trace

Jetty Jettison! Let's Boogey! Board!

So, I finally made it out to the beach. Thank you God! Though, I would have liked to have just been jettisoned from my house to the beach, but I made it. Getting ready to boogey! Board! PIMP LOL. So, yes I am at the beach and still stuffy and dizzy, but def better. Miracles take time and do happen. I may not be walking on the water, but I'm walking IN it! It's a start! One step at a time. Yes! Miracles do happen. To some, they may seem as small as a grain of sand, but to me they are as big as the ocean and as many as the grains of sand. Yes! I'm putting feet to my miracles. One step at a time. Walk with me?  Oh! And, click on the photodrama to get the bigger picture!  Of course!  Yes! That IS my foot!!    Trace

Cage Rage

“Cage Rage!” I’m having an inner conflict this morning that just keeps pecking at me. It’s makin’ me a li’l cagey! What is it? Guess you could call it an inner chicken fight! Well, part of me feels like a bird in a cage and the other part of me feels free. Like I’m ready to fly and roam. Why? Well, I found out the eggs we ate were cage free and the chicken was not. Oh my! And, they are fighting each other. Feel like I could just lay an egg. PIMP LOL. The chickens who laid the eggs might have been free, but the eggs weren’t. In fact, after looking at the bill, they must have laid golden eggs. Anyways, every time I squawk like a chicken and flap my wings to get outta this cage, no one hears and I ummm… chicken out? So, I traded in my bak bak bak for talk talk talk. I stopped flappin’ and start yakkin’. Traded the cage rage for the wing sing. Yep! How? I decided to pray. And, to sing. You know? Put wings to my thoughts and troubles. Talk to God? What? That’s the real freedom. And, I had a peck of prayers. So, whatever your pecking order is for today? Don’t be hen-pecked! PIMP LOL. And, certainly don’t forget freedom. It’s endowed by our Creator and flies free in the heart. So, we can feel free to fly to Him anytime we need to. Without feeling cagey or squawky or chickening out. Or, even if you do feel that! He loves us. Gotta go. Do some flyin’ and some singin’. Love all you hens, roosters and chicks. I’ll be bak bak bak! Oh! I was having a fond memory from writing this story about how much I loved going to the neighbors farm to get our eggs. Ahhh... Flyin free... Oh! And, the photo drama? Well, the photo is real. Taken in St. Augustine a few years back. At least, all of it but the wings are real. And, maybe one or 2 of the guys hanging! Have a fun day! I'm fixin' to get a visit from my niece who I haven't seen in 17 years (my brother Larry's daughter). Thankful! And, thankful is freeing! Trace