Last Weekend, ADD (Art, Dog, & Daughter)

Not the most desirable positioning, but no where else to hang them, and they looked good to me hanging there - it was a hot, humid night - but fun - so fun

Oldest daughter and our new dog, Romeo Guido Bassetto. Yes, he's spoiled. Yes, the cats are uppity about this. We had a fun Saturday, going to a Mexican restaurant with light, delicious food and lying in bed watching movies.

Part of my garden.

I did this kitty kat for a pet clothing website - drew it in Freehand program. I wonder if I can remember how to use it! Just installed it in the laptop along with Dreamweaver.

A photographer thought it was the cutest thing ever - the paintbrush in one hand and the martini glass in the other and he sent me the photos he took. He is a fabulous photographer -

his work can be seen in Flikr.com - Pat Hayes. Yep, I was pretty relaxed.

Thinking of life three, four, five years ago, I am having an extreme attack of an attitude of gratitude!

Much Going On . . .

Reward after a day of rain. (also known as why I love Florida!)

Don't ever put hot chocolate pudding in plastic cups.

Above, getting ready for art show. Below: Happy 16th!

Birthday party for grandaughter:

Gathering with friends - no I didn't do the paintings here:

Paintings will hang at back of bar in courtyard:

Working on this one but he won't make it in time for show:

Ok - second attempt to post! I've been extremely busy - fell into an art show which will happen tomorrow night down at our semi annual Gallery Night. I had been painting so it worked out good, but now my back is soooo bad from sitting, but I know it passes with a couple days in bed watching movies.

So far in the last two months, I've been to the West Indies, had two family birthday parties, a wonderful Mother's Day, my sister's visit (soooo wonderful), a sudden art show to prepare for - and..........what else ---- my back hurting so bad, I thought, maybe if I work on strengthening it -

I have joined "Curves" - weight machine circuit for women (adjustable for old women, haha) and my energy came back - and I do feel better after only one session. Can't wait until tomorrow - or maybe I'll go in later today as I have to go to hardware store for "S" hooks to hang paintings. Figure if I quit drinking "expensive" coffee which I should drink just water anyway except for a treat, I can pay for it.

So, what else: I have a new puppy - Romeo Guido Bassetto - so far he is working out good - actually I am babysitting, but falling in love. He's an older dog.

What else: Gatherings with friends!

What else: I had to quit drinking alcohol - was having way too much fun but also gaining weight and not feeling really well, haha. But it was all good while it lasted. "H" thinks I'm real fun when I'm tipsy.

So much more but I have to check on you guys and then get back to painting before paints dry out, than quit for afternoon so I will be able to walk -

Pura Vida!

What, No Nevermore?

I am such a negligent blogger - and so apologize to everyone. This next week is not going to be much better - just got a late position in the circuit on our town's twice a year Gallery Night - I will be hanging my work at a courtyard restaurant, tapas bar, gallery - downtown not this Friday, but next! Also the owner requested I stay on the spot and paint his courtyard as a demo for people coming in. I can do that! I am finishing five paintings which I've totally goofed on for a couple of years, and then I want to paint two more, a chicken and a house - - - don't know if I'll make it.

The above painting is a vision I had when staying in the West Indies - the dogs with white hair and golden eyes and the blood veins and cells and energy within - - - pleased with how it turned out - if it sells, I will cry - no I will laugh and paint another.

So, I have to vacuum and then start painting - painting 24 hours straight except for four hour nap two days ago to do this one - my back is better, but complaining about the sitting.....

Happy May everyone - don't know how oil spill is coming, but news from British Columbia friends say that it may be a catalyst to keep drilling out of their area in question and hopefully the same movements will begin world-wide in regard to offshore drilling and responsible energy policies. BP has been offering free gas here - as one of my friends, says, how about free shrimp, turtles, and clean water?

Waiting

I haven't watched much news, but it looks like the Gulf Coast Oil Disaster is more toward Louisiana. Currents and winds will influence it. Speculation is that it could possibility go into the Mississippi River. Some reports said as far as Key West.

They did plug the small hole, but the amount of oil, 200,000 gallons per day spewing into the Gulf was not reduced. Rumors are the "dome" will be in soon - a matter of days.

People are fishing - for the last clean fish - businesses are trembling - as are those of us who insist on buying local when possible and enjoy playing in the water and feeling like our drinking water is somewhat clean of oil (for now) and the eco-system fairly intact. Somehow the idea of eating fish shipped in from Thailand does not excite me.

So, yes, I do still live in Paradise, only it has been dirtied with repercussions that will last for years. Next time I hear someone say "Drill, baby, drill," I will probably throw up on them.

On a more happy note, my sister and I had so much fun - she said she had the best vacation ever in her life, and that is cool, because we usually go visit my mother and do not take vacations. I felt as if I've had two - the trip to the West Indies, and the week my sis was here - we were crazy, drinking, laughing, talking, crying, talking about lost loves, bad marriages, being kids, teenagers, oh, we covered everything that we cover every time we are together and more!

So, now somewhere reality is going to set in. I have quit drinking, and though I asked for an intervention, it was judged that if I had to ask for one, I most likely didn't need one. And I've started a fast one day a week, then partially two more days. Hopefully that'll get me back on track. My back is messed up again, so I'm down in bed often when it gets unbearable. But that will end.

In the meantime, we, including the birds, keep our eyes turned out to sea.

Our Coast Sits Shrouded

Oil Spill in the Gulf.

Our coast sits shrouded in gray clouds, mist, and the wind is wailing as if a funeral has many groups of professional and otherwise wailers trailing above the earth as the pelicans, gulls, and seabirds sit on the rocks, still and silent and pointing out to the sea knowing that evil comes slithering closer.

So, the assurances of the 70's about the one in a billion chances of these things happening with off shore drilling are a gruesome joke haunting us from the past.

We drove to the beach today. People were out in droves - most of us desperate to experience our shores in their relatively (not completely) clean state before the slick of oil arrives. Fishermen on the fishing bridge to Gulf Breeze hoping to see the last live fish for a long long time. I think of the dolphins that swam up and down the waterway at the restaurant we went to last Thursday.

Projections of 30 years of serious eco-system damage, not too mention what will be happening to our drinking water, tourism, housing values, a long list could follow - - - -

Drill, baby, drill. Yeh. We all weep with pain on the Gulf Coast this week.

And we are supposed to believe mankind is too stupid to develop alternatives to fossil fuels. The world's oil based economy will not tolerate alternatives. For how much longer?