Update 2018

Have you ever thought of where we would be in 2018?  I didn't even think about it.

Perhaps its time to blog again.  I don't know how many of my friends are still out there.  So this is sort of a test blog post, the format has changed.  

This is me and my grandson, circa 2018. We are at an art show.

The future:  I hope to paint more, but writing has also become a priority.  That, and getting the "Goth" atmosphere changed out on this Blog, and writing, and painting, and see what happens.  

Hope to do some serious writing as well as find a new direction in art. 

So I know maybe only a few are blogging now - - I would like to hear from you, if you are checking in to Blogspot from time to time.  I will be taking some old posts off, more than likely.  We all change so much with time, well, maybe not all.  Which is ok either way, right?

Do you want to stay on the Blog as a fellow blogger?  Should I take you off?  Let me know.  

Bison roam the land again

Greener Pastures for Bison

Last spring, Defenders helped relocate around 60 Yellowstone bison from quarantine facility near the national park to their new home on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. This marked the first time in decades that wild bison were allowed to leave the confines of Yellowstone National Park.

Four months after this historic move, the herd was released to freely roam on thousands of acres of reservation land.

Not only has their habitat grown, so have their numbers. More than 20 calves have been born to the herd -- the first wild Yellowstone bison to be born on the Great Plains in nearly 150 years. 

I'm in here somewhere - every journal page!!!!!  

Zowie

Just got news I was in an article in the Mobile Register and my web address was in there too!

Mobile Press Article

Recuperating

Well, friends, after how many years of complaining, moaning, learning, more moaning, and fighting has it been with the back issues?  I did it!  May 30th had back surgery.  Doctor said it went well - but it will be about a six month recuperation period.  I have made an "artdeskbed," a new invention for people who have to keep producing no matter what.  Very little pain, great hospital stay, love my doctors, had great help from friends and family.  About the same time a new granddaughter arrived.  Posting some pics for ya'll.

 Looking rested and out of pain - for the first time in one year and one half

 Lexie Lou who keeps watch over me

 New granddaughter Fallyn Arriana

 Yep, a bit of boredom there - view looking up from bed

 Both my cute granddaughters

 View from bed (another view - don't have cable TV)  Have watched what seems thousands of Net Flix

 Last pages of art Journal - now ensconced in display at Mobile Arts Council

 Daughter shares one year clean & sober Birthday - grandson 15the birthday

I have much to be grateful for.

Hope your summer is a good one - no natural or un-natural disasters - we almost flooded out during Beryl tropical storm - too close.

Love n Hugs.

Moving to Higher Ground

Ah, early a.m. and much musings - art - where am I going?  I don't know.  My higher power I do believe just spoke to me and said, just do it, I will show you as you go.  The above are journal pages - -

Well, am going to do it!  May 30th - surgery date to fix back!  Actually it is in much better shape than in previous years - but areas where nerves are impinged are severe.  It is time.  Should be home by 31st....sister is coming to take me over - - and bring me back. Chuck and dogs will wait for me. Concerned over all my "kingdom" and all that needs me - guess it will manage for two-three weeks while I recuperate.  Looking back - to time of pulmonary embolism - I asked God for enough years to see last grandchild raised - and look what has happened:  A new grandchild.  A girl.  Fallyn Arianna.  I am madly in love with this new little person.  Will post a pic later, my camera has disappeared and I had photos in phone, which crashed, so the new phone is now barren and I hope i have somewhere saved the photos of the little darling.  She's about two weeks old.

Soooo - It's been a weird and tough in it own way year - not only challenges, but in that I wanted to keep doing things the same way as a marvelous previous few years - and no, nope, not allowed - so put on the new - but how?  Trial and error - listening to what is inside - - - ready, ready to embrace the new, and learn its mysterious paths until they are well worn and then time to come up another notch again.

SERAPHINE dite DE SENLIS_II

Art Day All Day Today

May I Join You for Breakfast (on the Beach)?     Charcoal on white heavy stock paper 22" x 18" unframed

What do you think - I think I will do another and make the three tropical flowers in the left part of picture very bright yellows, reds and oranges.

Getting ready to go to Mobile Arts Council meeting with Journal so we can meet each other and all compare out journals.  This will be fun!  Am taking little video camera since I lost my other one.

Thought this was so funny.  From the personalities of my animals, think its true.  Also realizing I am a cat person mostly because, oh, so hate to confess it, but my thought processes are more like a cat according to these.  Working on balancing out to be a cat-dog though.   Ha ha!

New Page for Art Journal

H

Moody

Moody Day in the Gulf of Mexico

        

Hi everyone - apologies for a lengthy time between posts.  I struggle so now with time issues, production issues, issues, period!   I have been sort of crippled up and hope soon to have the five years now dreaded surgery soon completed and get back to being more mobile, though my left leg has been swelling and the knee terribly painful for several months.  It may be the back, it may be a new injury on top of old ones.  I am hoping that I do not need knee surgery next.  Have an appointment to consult with another surgeon Friday the 13th for my back.  I am thinking that technology has advanced since the first two opinions and it seems that the last opinion was that I do not need the complete lower back rebuild as the other two recommended, but perhaps just some minimally invasive surgery to remove pressure from nerves which are at borderline of not being able to heal - it is time!   At least the minimal is the most obvious way to begin, in my mind.  So we shall see what this surgeon says.

It is totally gorgeous here - the temperatures are perfect, the colors brilliant interspersed with soft rainy days and mists.

Our family is all fine, struggling some, but what family does not.  What individual does not.  Life is always a lot of work it seems.  Agony and ecstasy and some in-betweens.

Today Sage and I are going to the Palafox Market for Dewberries - we will make a Dewberry Cobbler later, but only after seeing Clash of the Titans at the theater.  So, full day, no house cleaning, no art - - I have not been putting out enough art!

Miss Blogspot and trying to break myself from too much Facebook.

Will let everyone know about the surgery.  When, etc.

Lots of Fun

Well, everyone, I think I've figured out how to get back on here.  Seems like BS took it upon themselves to associate my blog with another email account I haven't used for years.  Oh well, things have been a bit crazy here anyway - I dropped a Droid X in a toilet and it won't work anymore, spilled water in my computer (its covered, fallen in the kitchen floor by stepping in the animals' water, and many more water adventures.

Not been in a lot of art shows lately - just tired and back was bothering me pretty much.  Guess I will succumb to the surgery soon as they get a few things straightened up.  Then this summer maybe I can be dazzling again!

Family is doing fine, thank God - my mother remains fragile in Wyoming, but I can't go against her choices of where and how she wants to live - but finding my health isn't good enough to run back and forth across the country when she needs me.

Anyway!  Just popping in - I don't even know for sure who is blogging anymore - I have lost track of folks - maybe can find ya'll on FB - I need to clean up sidebars on the blog.

I have been on a journaling phase - actually a Museum of Mobile Art project - MOMA - to be finished for exhibition with 35 others in April.  Which is coming soon.  I really need to put out some more work for the Gallery.  Time to do an oil painting - haven't done one of those for a while.


Much love........

Busy Stuff but Fun Stuff

Relaxation time! Somehow trekking across the country side is more relaxing than lying in bed sick with bronchitis. A friend of mine from the Gallery was entering some art in a show in Fairhope, AL, and wanted company for the ride. We drove over the back way through the countryside and had a super time, took pictures, ate lunch. Fairhope is aptly named, it is one of the prettiest towns I have ever seen. The two small town between here and Fairhope were covered in fall flowers and pretty decorations. It almost made me, for a day, forget the state our Country is in.

The above photo is actually Downtown Pensacola across from our Gallery. The Downtown is fully dressed for Christmas - our Gallery looks beautiful. Today we put up our tree - rather Chuck did it. My youngest gave me all new ornaments - what fun! I bathed the dogs and trimmed them myself and they are all spiffed up too.

The top photo is a charcoal I did when teaching a class in October. On top of that top photo is one of an art show we did at a martini festival. Not very successfully I might add. Was excruciatingly windy - people were there mostly to drink (imagine that!) - the "sampler" martini's tasted like Jim Jones Specials (very nasty Koolaid). But fun talking with other artists.

Haven't done much art lately - I've attempted it - worked at it - but nothing comes out that satisfies me.

I've done two outside shows this fall, and figured out, even with some help from wonderful friends - I can not, alas, handle a tent and set up my self, even with Chuck's help. I still seek alternate ways of marketing art. I have half a dozen web sites going, but its not the same as seeing it in person.

Well, 'tis late at night - need to chase Grandson to his bed - prying him off his X-Box. And get there myself!

Night all.

Pre Thanksgving Update

The photo has nothing to do with my post - other than it was a startling surprise of beauty in a very intense place I'm in.

Couldn't get on Blogspot - somehow my account got associated with another email address that I never use. Been weird lately. Went to get my drivers license renewed that I have had in Florida for 22 years and they wanted all my marriage and divorce certificates before they will reissue. Why I don't know. They have passed some very restrictive voting laws here and I suspect it may be a part of that. This is a bit of a problem - because it goes back 49 years, and I don't remember WHERE I was married or divorced for some of them or the full legal names of who I was married to. And at least one of the dudes is dead I found out after an internet search. Yeah, sort of dysfunctional, but that was a long time ago.

Seems like some blatant discrimination against women to me! My advice - if you get married, keep YOUR name! I mean, who in heavens' sake started the idea that we should lose this portion of our identity when we married anyway! I've already written my Senator asking him what he would suggest.

Have had bronchitis for five weeks! Is now improving. Then got some MRI's - most of you (if any of my readers are left out there) know I've had back surgery - and need more - extensive on lower back; well, I was told that I am at the "threshold" of permanent nerve damage. It's been fabulous, because I could barely walk when I returned to Florida and the pain has decreased so much and my mobility increased until the last few months that I thought perhaps it had healed itself. So I am surgeon shopping. Don't want to - but.

I think oldest grandson, youngest, and my youngest daughter are coming for Thanksgiving. Just getting my strength back, so will not be extensive cooking - but being with family is enough.

Hope all of you have a wonderful Holiday!!!!!

Wish You Were Here

Jellyfish Wine and Martini Festival on November 5th - pretty much all day. Armbands for all the Martini tasting you want from 1pm-5pm. Good thing I can't drink on meds - would need a designated driver. Or an ambulance, ha ha.

Just did a fun painting for the festival - hope to sell something - hope its cool - hope - hope - hope Chuck is off to help me - last one I had help and it about did me in for a couple days afterwards. Have to work at Gallery tomorrow and have nothing to wear. Nothing. Oh well, the Featured Artist show there is "Nudes and Nature." (Kidding of course).

Life is boring right now - tiring and boring. I need to get inspired. Gallery Night is the 21st this month. Hope I sell something there too! Don't want to go Downtown - some estimates are at 20,000 people - I don't like crowds THAT much. Invited to Halloween parties, and I would love to be able to visit some as two are at some dear friends' invitation - have always wanted to sew up a fur type Amazon costume and carry a large spear and wear fur boots up to my knees - but would really need some Spanx under garments - - - and I hate to sew anymore! I need a change of scenery - I KNOW WHAT I NEED - ANOTHER LANDMARK FORUM - YES!

Sketchin' Around

Paradise Gardens - Come sit and enjoy the atmosphere.

Our tent - me on the left, and on the right - the most creative artist I know - - - hard to see her beautiful mirror....

Looking across the Gardens................

More artists - many were stationed in the courtyard -

Pumpkin time 2011

Kite Man.....West Indies

Fall again - and pumpkin time, and of course, my little friend Nevermore. Also had a desire to do the "Kite Man." Had a fun show at a place called "Paradise Gardens" (and it was! beautiful!). Thankfully some friends had the tent - and put it up and helped me with all my art, I could not have done it without them.

Planning another show at Jellyfish Bar Martini and Wine Festival. That too will be interesting - in a pretty small mall area on the beach . . . November 7. Again another friend will share space and help me with the setup - otherwise I couldn't do it.

Now, am going to rest from painting a while - a short while. My grandson went home to stay except for short visits and I miss him so so much. I am watching too many Netflex. He and I went to the movies and watched an IMAX about boxing robots. Was actually pretty good.

Need to clean house and do yardwork -but! Lazy? I dunno. Aches and pains - and maybe lazy too!

Gallery Night on October 21. Makes me tired to think of it - crowds and more crowds of people!!!! I hope I sell big time! I need to go buy ornaments, large ones and begin painting them for Christmas to sell. So much to do.

Hey, Stagg - Hey, Candy - if you were here, we'd go busk!

Doodling

Doodling - want to start a new one of these tonight - but sooo tired. I am stumbling tired. Set up some doc appointments next week. Ha, husband took over 1/20th of what I do in a day because he's on vacation - he came home moaning after taking us to a cafe for dinner - and fell in bed, haven't seen him since. Anyway, I have had an afternoon with an overly long nap (but it felt soooo good) and a long night's sleep last night with wonderful dreams. Actually had time to workout twice.

I dreamed of a medalion with three horses - I will sketch it tonight. It is a long story - a friend bought the pin for me, put it in an envelope and mailed it to me. The envelope arrived, with a small hole in it - smaller than the pin, and the pin was missing. My mail has been tampered with - yesterday an envelope from the School District arrived that was three fourths torn open. Now, who could be spying on me? This is scary. I fear espionage - maybe from outer space. (Sorry, I really am tired.) I think the County would be bored of me by now.

The little girl in the top charcoal is the granddaughter of my friend that sent the pen. Isn't she adorable?

Success - this animal hoarder has trained a rather - er, to be kind, slow dog to roll over. She is quite proud of herself. But Guido is jealous. The cats are acting as guardians - they lay in the doorways and won't let the dogs pass. Guido is getting fed up and asserting his tiny self against the unjustice.

Good night all - I am falling over - - - oh, oh - watched Dr. Zhivago for the second time after many many many years - and fell in love with it all over again! Grandson and I sat in matching recliners crying over the ending, much to his chagrin.

and again, Good night

In the Garden of Good and Evil

The rains of TD13 have beat all the petals of my flowers off, and a great deal of the leaves. Oh well, easy come, easy go. Haven't had the fortitude to weed in 114 F degree heat index either. At least it has cooled to the low 90's and even 82 since the storm has come in and lingered.

Juried into the Artel Gallery - with "He Wasn't Who He Pretended to Be" A fun, freaky piece of work. The Artel receptions are so fun, elegant with an edge of funk. I'm excited

Dogs won't go out to potty because of storm. I pray that their insides are temporarily paralyzed. Yes, I'm truly evil.

Some kind of horrible procrastination disease left me today and I paid bills, gathered all my medical records together so I can make a doctor's appointment for myself, and got all the papers out for my young temporary Ward that I love so much.

Took oldest Grandson's silver ring I made him to the jeweler to have the stone set, and the ring polished - can't wait to see it. This is been sitting for 3 years.

Now, I need to hang up all my clothes, 2/3 of which are too small - because I can't afford Doc Lovely anymore. It was nice being ten years younger than my age while it lasted. Naw, now for the truth - I've been stressed and eating too much and sometimes drinking a bit more than I should.

So true confessions in this blog post - hopefully the State of Wyoming has quit downloading my blog files to their computers - I will always laugh about the recipe for split pea soup - wonder if the governor ate some? Glad those days are gone. Actually I have become an avid poster of news, not the corporate bought variety, but the real news - there are hundreds of protesters in Washington as I write this - - one of our Senators wrote me a nice letter - trying to pass a bill to make BP give back the people's tax $ they used to clean up THEIR mess which only 3% is cleaned up. So I feel a little power to the people though I'm sure some think I've truly lost it. Oh well. Its fun getting older - one has an excuse for all sorts of eccentricities............

Later -

I think I even have energy left to start a charcola.

Thoughts on Hurricanes

Lion painting finished and hanging in gallery with the lily and another painting. Taking two to the "Edgy" Gallery in town this afternoon to be juried in hopefully to their show - I like their shows!

I've been on line with a friend in North Carolina. Hurricane Irene is bearing down on them - rather is on them. So far prayers to keep their electricity are working! NCY is evacuating - after being in a few evacuations here, I can't imagine the chaos - and fear. This is a mega storm - it is HUGE! Seems the movies are more prophetic than the prophets sometimes. Well, I hope they will be protected. Seems like the thing moved over the Bahamas without killing more than one or two I believe.

The heat here is awful - 104 degrees F - that is NOT the head index which can be ten degrees higher. I was out most of day yesterday and it took everything out of me. I slept until 11 a.m today which is unusual, and my lungs hurt like crazy.

Must move on - haven't even dressed yet and its one o'clock.