Tantivy

I thought that I would put this up first so you can compare it to its beginning. The big white spot near the middle is, of course, a reflection from the flash. I took this in the studio where there is not good light - the ceiling fluorescent behind the easel is not much help. With better light the upper left wouldn't look so washed out. This piece has more of me in it that any of the ones so far, but not the parts of me that show.  I made it a little larger so that you could see it a little better. Last Flight Out of Saigon This is the beginning of  a new piece. The photo was taken at the same time, but the piece was on the floor. It didn't help with the lighting, though.  This is also a recycled piece and I cut it down to make it square. The cut-off might become a companion piece to it. I am not crazy about the definite lines, but I will have to see how they work in to what I do next. I think this will be a mixed-media piece, meaning that I might add photographs...

We all know that summer colds are miserable. Well, I can now tell you from experience that autumn colds are not great fun either. One day I was fine and since then I have been miserable. Seven - ten days seems to be the time frame of the common cold and I am hoping for no more than seven. Meanwhile, I have had plenty of time to read and have taken advantage of it, finishing Ken Follett's Winter of the World  in just a few days. Follett's writing is not on the level of Helen Dunmore's ( see previous posts) but the history is there and very interesting. Families from Russia, Germany, Wales and America become involved and intermeshed as the war in Europe crushes lives in Britain and on the continent. There is much written about behind the scenes machinations as well as the heroic ways common people give themselves to benefit others. This book is the second in a trilogy about the 20th Century and a good look at the history we lived through as children. The book is long, but t...

Evidently the third weekend in October is quite popular for weddings. Last year Sara 's wedding was on the 22nd and this year both Andrew (my nephew) and my cousin's daughter were married last Saturday. The cousin lives in the Memphis area, but the pictures of that wedding are great. It was a beautiful day there as well as in the Atlanta area where we were.  Andrew and Francis chose a 1920s theme and we all dressed up. The bride and groom were radiant and the guests had a wonderful time. Here are some pics; there are more on Facebook. Dean and I. Doesn't he look cute? He chose and rented his outfit without consulting me and I think that he did a bang-up job. In fact, one of the single girls asked him to pose in a picture with her. Drew and Francis had the photographer taking funny portraits in the barn where hay bales and farm implements were available to use as props. There were lots of "American Gothic" poses. We got the whole family there for one and tha...

Dean's brother, Alan, and s-i-l, Alyce were here for a very short visit. It was wonderful to see them. I meant to take a picture of their sleek green motor home but the time got away. It is just like a playhouse for adults on the inside; everything is there, but all in miniature. Of course it was immaculate, everything in its place. They have lots of Hostas in Omaha, Nebraska where they live (about 600 - Alyce is the Hosta Queen!) and having divided them this fall, they brought us bags of them to plant under our huge hackberry tree. They not only brought them, they planted them!!  Fifty-three of them. I picked up a few stray leaves and planted about three of them. I did sift roots out of the soil when Alan dug the holes and do little bits, but A and A were amazing . So generous with their plants and their time and effort. The Alyce Mae Jensen Berk Hosta garden should be wonderful next year and even better the next year when the plants have established and started spreading again...

I finished last week's library book (one of them) and downloaded another on my iPad. These books, by Helen Dunmore, were set in Russia and dealt with the Siege of Leningrad and the early fifties until the death of Stalin. They were well-written, butit was heart wrenching, to read of man's inhumanity to man. I had checked out another book, a piece of fluff, that I couldn't even read after finishing the others. I will read it later, as I have nothing against fluff from time to time. Perhaps it was what I had been reading, but when I began to work on this painting again I saw an airplane or a helicopter in the upper left (the pour is the header for this post) and thought of the last flight out of Saigon. I won't change this one, but I might paint something about that day and something about that siege. I have not been one to feel that my paintings had to be social commentaries, but maybe  for a painting or two I will. I don't think that I will need to make stateme...

For several weeks Vicki and I have been meeting at the library on Tuesdays in the coffee shop there. I thought that I would show you a little about our interesting library. The new part is built on to the back of this house. I wandered around today and came to the front door by the inside. It was locked with a thumb-bolt and chain but I unlocked it (left the chain on) and peeked out to be sure that I was where I thought I was. The picture on the left is the old stairway just as you entered that door. Upstairs there was a meeting about to begin and lots of chat and laughter was floating down the stairs. I didn't go up to investigate. This is the new part with it's automatic doors and outside book return and all the things new libraries have. Inside there is a little courtyard where the two buildings meet. One can go out there but I don't know if it is ever used or not. The library is only a block behind my house. I go past "the monument" to get to it. Man...