Depends on which way you look at it...

If you read the links to other blogs, my brother-by-marriage Roger is voting for Obama. My conservative, very conservative brother. One I hold in high esteem and really respect his opinions. I've been trying to look at what he said and think about the whys.

The topsy-turvy feelings made me think of another old (class of 1984, Highland High)high school era painting, currently in Roxie's room.

This is the direction I painted this oil, standing on one end, curves up and down the center. Loved the deep scarlet flaming up and down, contrast of warm and cool colors one of my favorite juxtaposition eye-candy in art...
My art teacher turned my painting horizontally and said, "Fjord!" As in landscape, no longer just sensuous curves.

I try to turn things around, "on their ear" all the time now. Just to see it anew. New perspective, new eyes, new horizon. Ahh, but I get comfortable and forget. Start seeing things permanently one direction.

My goal is to open my political eyes wider and look some more. I will stop assuming I know what I already feel and be done. I'll step back and investigate a little more. I will stop thinking my choice is already made.

One of my weaknesses is wanting to be an authority on things--anything, dumb little things even. I don't like to be wrong, or be caught not knowing something if I am asked.

Right now I don't know who I am going to vote for. And I thought I did.

Family Tree

Ikea had these great wooden hearts painted red--a Christmas decoration. I bought them when they went on clearance and permanent black Sharpi-ed all our family names, my side and husband's, parents on front, children on back, spouses added with a big + sign. They hung on our Christmas tree one year, and then I didn't want to put them away all year and zip-tied them to...can you guess?
Crib rails! I saved the head board and foot board--future art projects. They were too cool to throw away, even after we knew for certain all our kids were here, born and bodied. On St. Patrick's Day I painted the downstairs hallway bright green, and then hung up the crib rails (the kids all helped paint them before Samuel was born. I had given away our crib after Suzanna, thinking we were done. Someone gave us an old, old crib that needed help, and I let the kids attack with pure color! I see them as art, have hung the rails different directions, sometimes they look like ladders, other times jail bars. Front and backs are different, so they can rotate...

Why Baltimore?

When people ask where we are from, we say Baltimore, and if they want specifics, then we give details. But it is the biggest closest city. And I love this city! John's grandpa Stewart used to drive me downtown to doctor appointments. Not his, mine. He knew the back roads to take. The shortcuts. I was unable to drive myself, too sick. After dreading food, (associate every time you eat with needing to immediately go running to the bathroom and it gets gross quickly)for months, Grandpa Stewart showed me something wonderful in his hometown. He was born in this city, grew up in Pig Town. Where they really did run pigs to the slaughterhouse. He showed me his favorite things, and they became mine.

So every time I need to go downtown, I think of him. JSL the first.

This is JSL the 3rd. When I first met him and figured out his full name I thought that was so weird. I didn't know any generational guys, (except Joseph Smith, Jr) and I was sure that I wouldn't want to pass on a generational name. But that was before I met all the JSLs, including a son with the same name, now. I wouldn't live here if not for this smile, these blue eyes...
This is MY tower, Bromo Seltzer landmark tower.
This is MY hospital. University of Maryland. Love the fact that student doctors are all over you, researching, helping, learning, asking great questions, checking up on you all day. And so earnest and sincere, and talented.
Student Dr. Halsey (no relation to Harford County)me and Dr. Bruce Greenwald (I think he looks like a young/clean Bob Saget). Met him through a drug test 12 years ago and kept him as my GI doctor.
Free advertising plug for the BEST sandwhiches I have ever had. Ever.
Inside. The oldest workers all knew Grandpa Stewart by name. Grandpa Stewart taught me how to order, how to maintain eye contact, how to ask for it right. The only way, according to him.
Order a "regular"=corned beef on rye, mustard, pickle. I bring home one for Billie every time I go, honoring her deceased husband and what he shared with me about great old Baltimore, beautiful city.

Last Thing You SEE before you go to SLEEP?

How much of what you see last, before you turn out the lights, influences your dreams and thoughts during the night? Have you surrounded yourself with things you love, things that remind you of who you are or want to be? Here is a quick tour of our tiny master bedroom (we took the smallest room because it was attatched to a bathroom!)
Painting by my mom. Love these colors, and the image reminds me to not be so independent, that I am NOT alone, ever, like that lonely tree, clinging to the cliffs. But that I am strong, tenacious, holding on to good things.
John's side of bed. I love our marriage photo, standing right outside the Salt Lake Temple, looking very contemplative, serious, and oh, so in LOVE!

20 years ago high school painting of old lady feeding pigeons--like in "Mary Poppins." This is on my side of the bed.

Fallingwater Adventure

  This is the view most people have seen of Fallingwater, cantilevered house over waterfall, built by Frank Lloyd Wright for Kaufmann family from Pittsburgh as a retreat, away from the polluted city (on land that was originally a Masonic camp, with cabins, no electricity, a place to escape the city).
  I paid for the big deal tour, and could take photos, but cannot post any on internet of interior---which I would love to do but will respect. House is owned by a private nature conservatory group. The Kaufmanns only son gave it to them with the intent of it being publically toured and the land preserved carefully. It is in a beautiful setting.
  The guest house pool...which I would love in my backyard.
  Another exterior view near guest house, notice cement arbor. Color is same that Wright designed, a pale peach, looks good with all the green.

Rhododenrons cover the mountainside. The sound of the falls is beautiful in the background. Nice trees. Low ceilings, lots of emphasis on horizontal. Toilets lower than normal, really lower, sunk so just inches from floor...Kaufmann Junior had heard that was better for your bowel health, to squat more....cork lined bathrooms--all the walls and floors. Excellent lighting everywhere. I loved the recessed lights in the bedroom, the change of ceiling height forcing your view outward, no curtains, TINY bedrooms but felt open because of the windows; low couches, big enough to sleep on, many colored pillows in ethnic fabrics. Focus on fireplace. Shelves, shelves everywhere. Books going up stairs on shelves built into walls. Old-fashioned ugly yellow kitchen. Original Aga stove was missing, but you could see where the stone had been cut away to fit it. Amazing artwork. Low balcony cement railing--not a good place for toddlers. I was nervous right next to the edge! Besides that one detail, I would have loved to move right in. Very peaceful, relaxing.

Southwestern PA adventure

Signs of the times. Corn maze entrance.
From the highway it looked like the house right out of Psycho. I got off the next exit and back-tracked to find--a haunted house, a real one, under construction getting ready for Halloween.

Best Indian Food in West Virginia

Lamb Saag was my favorite--the green stuff on the rice! recipe here




Morgantown is crazy-road-crazy. The streets go up and down and sideways. Cows cling to the sides of the hills. It is an old mining town. We almost didn't find this place, but went a little further (no GPS help in our car) and found it!

Color, glorious color!

After being gone all week, I came home and wanted to paint again. Try this Color Hue Test to see how well you see differences...the lower the score, the better. First time I took it, 14 score; second time, 9. I like how it shows you your weak areas. TWO of my sisters scored 0 taking it the first time!

Cheat Canoe Cruise

We found a marina that rented kayaks and canoes by the hour. We opted for a shared canoe...which was very wobbly and tippy starting out. John proved his boyscout trip experience with his steady paddle arm. Half the time I lounged and looked at the lake, Queen of Sheba style. The weather was perfect. We bullfrog-sunscreened heavily, so no sunburning. Cheat Lake (why was it named that?) will be a nice memory!








I took many photos of this huge dragonfly. We got out of the canoe (a feat all by itself!) at a tribuatary, saw a little waterfall. Avoided getting run over by a houseboat and several jet skis, but otherwise we had the lake to ourselves. Off-season is a great time to go!

On Vacation!

No worries for 4 days. We are in West Virginia at John's work conference. Not missing you much, just having fun! We promise to come home...

Fulfilling Expectations

 
Did you know my mom is an artist? First one I ever met. Our university art professor brother David gestated during her California hard-edge-acrylic-class days. One of my first art memories is coming home from elementary school, Mom standing on dinning room table, painting a huge peach monochromatic flower. She gave me a Dixie cup of paint and a brush, and showed me a spot I could help fill in.

One Christmas when Deb and I were pre-teens, Mom crayon-created Future Portraits of us. They are made on the rough side of masonite board, with a boxed frame nailed on the back.

She told me that she knew I would grow up and make the world beautiful. I think I have always tried to do that, improve my surroundings. Make it better somehow.

I have kept the portrait, hung it somewhere in my home every time we've moved. It is now in the sewing studio/oldest daughter's room. I don't think I've told Mom how much her high expectations and her confidence in me helped. She saw potential, communicated it to me. I have held on to that as a goal and self-identifying description.

Wishing I had made Future Portraits of my kids. Have I told them enough about the goodness I see in them? Do they know how highly I think of them?

In my list of quilts to make are portraits of each of them. Six, plus one for Super Spouse. Emmalyn's is started. Goal is Christmas when she comes home to visit between semesters. They are bigger than life-size, so far. Focus is their eyes. I'll blog result later, but not work-in-progress!

Biggest Mural So Far

 
Once upon a time there was a wizard castle...

 
...and a Dragon Keeper across the sea...

 
The bunnies are my favorite part--

 
Fuzzy long shot. I paint better than I photograph.

Copy This

I'm feeling patriotic today. This is the day so many years ago that we started our food storage in earnest, trying not to panic, but thinking about feeding small children from our pantry, just in case.

I'm thankful to be an American. Thankful for the soldiers fighting for my freedoms.

 

This mural represents Italy, or maybe southern France...My mother-by-marriage Sandy had a picture she loved--except for the colors. She wanted the rooster changed, and less blues overall in the picture, since her home is green/gold/red based palette. THIS is the finished mural (the orginial) is below). I changed the curtains to match her dinning room.

 

Fun Photos...

 
Max and Stewart, look the same.

 
Weirdest thing I ever made Emma eat. Almost. They were on sale, frozen.


 
Most recent mural, July 2008. Great Grandma Billie's powder room.

 
Inspiration for her powder room, metal hydrangeas $99 or so a set from a decorating catalog. Paint is cheaper!

10 minute chunks of time to be creative

I had fun friend visitors in my home today, 2 busy-body boys, 3 years & not yet 1. Mr. Potato Head collection came in handy. Their visit made me remember how it was living with babies. My advice to their mom as they were leaving, "Do something for you, something creative, if only for 10 minutes!"

When my troop of family goes off to work and school each morning, I am left with long stretches of time, uninterrupted, unless I choose to answer phone, front door, take Great Grandma to physical therapy, go shopping. Sometimes I still fill my day with time-wasters and I am disappointed with myself that I haven't gotten more done by the end of the day.

So the advice is for me, too! We can all get a lot done in 10 minutes! For the creativity class taught by Karen ( www.karenamelia.com ) she helped us make a bag of tricks, ideas to pull out and 50 creative things to do when we felt we were in an artistic slump.

In 10 minutes I set up this library display, in Aberdeen Public Library, advertising the Flying Geese Quilt Guild quilt show October 18-19th at Harford Technical High School in Bel Air. If you know anyone with Alzheimer's or other dementia there will be a special exhibit of 52 quilts that have toured the country that deal with the disease. I'll post more information as the time gets closer, but hope you make time to come and see the show.

 

10 minutes. 10 minutes to be creative.

I'm off to hand sew black and white fabric to a dumpster dive window screen, making pockets for the back of our bathroom door. Saw the idea in a magazine and have been meaning to do the project all summer. Today is the day, after several day's worth of 10 minute chunks. I think the secret of getting creative things done as a mom, is to be entirely interuptible, without resentment, able to get back on track and in the right mindset as soon as the next 10 minute window opens.

Game Time

Once a week we have Family Home Evening. During the years it has evolved, sometimes more visual-aid oriented, more stories, more discussion as our kids grew into teenagers. We still include a lesson, singing time, scripture time (French Book of Mormon), TREAT time, but we have a new one! GAME TIME!

 
We got Marshmallow War idea from Aunt Laurajane's family in Wisconsin.

 
We divided up into teams. Staked out hidey holes.

 
This is gang up on dad team!


 
Three bags of ammunition split among the teams...We are still finding marshmallows a week later.

 
War casualties included one right eye...

 
A hard hit marshmallow sent a frame on the fireplace mantel to the ground, casualty: one glass frame that said, "Come unto Christ."


 
"Bishop Cookies" for TREAT, recipe from Nicole Klein--one of our absolute favorite treats now!