Construction, Art and Holiday Woes

A week out from the reunion and honestly I'm at a loss for my brain.  It has been so much on my mind for months that there is a void in my thinking and planning.  It's okay, I'm ready to have it done but wow.  This weekend we scooted off to the cabin on Thursday morning and it was a very long four days of sitting around.  Oh, I'm okay with the sitting around but I sensed he was antsy.  He's just not used to sitting around.  He was also anxious with what was going on around our house.  The last of the fixin'-up was going on and he was so excited to see it happening but we needed to leave.  I'll explain.  Our back patio, walks, driveway are all stained and he's spent the past couple of weeks re-staining the back squares of the patio.  Then the painter was coming to seal it all.  That meant we couldn't even walk outside or drive on the driveway for a couple of days, so cabin life it was.  He was so intriqued by the process he kept getting on the cameras to watch.  So funny, my guy.  His heart is not too far from construction that's for sure.  

This weekend and a couple of weekends ago I set up a Painting in the Wigwam for cabin life peeps.  The first weekend it was just one who showed up and this weekend it was two.  That's okay, I got a couple of nice paintings out of it and time spent with ladies visiting.  This next weekend we are going to do it at our cabin so if it's just me, then okay, it's just me.  

It was a quiet weekend too as not many were there, well there were but some had company and others, eat up with college football..blech.  Not my thing for sure.  It's so dry there too, so much so that it's just dusty.  The new house is going up next door and it is a hoss I can tell you.  It is a house, not a cabin and dwarfs our place.  

I'm continuing the daily sketches and they have really taken a life all their own.  Every time I talk to people they always make mention of them and go on and on about how much they enjoy them, especially when I add a story with them.  

Today is I was having a pretty good day, until...I got an email, we, as a family got an email.  I saw it was from one of his brothers, the oldest saying they are hosting Thanksgiving.  WHAT!  WHAT THE HECK!  Thanksgiving is MINE!  I've done it for so many years now, except last year when we have Covid!  I was so upset, I mean cussing upset, outside, big BAD words.  I was pissed.  I didn't even get heads up.  I ranted and raved to him, to the youngest on the phone.  Man I was so mad and upset to the point of tears.  I feel like everything is changing from my norm and I am having a hard time with this change.  The more I thought about it I realized that probably the reason why they want to host is because he is in bad health and if they come to our house, which is a trek from Eufaula, she would have to drive.  This would mean she couldn't see her kids for Thanksgiving.  I think I get it now but dang it, dang it, dang it!!!  It's hard enough on me that Thanksgiving wasn't like it used to be, food wise because of the vegan and vegetarian part of the day, but we had that kind of worked out.  I miss cooking a turkey, really miss it and two years in a row I won't be doing that.  You know what I plan on doing, a couple of things here.  I decided that I would embrace Christmas Day dinner.  I always have the other bro-in-law and his hubby and my kiddos and their entourage but I will extend to my brother and maybe my sisters hubby and their kiddos.  I don't expect them to come but I will extend.  I don't know if I'll do a turkey and may save that to New Year's Day.  Oh, it's just swimming around in my head.  I'll figure it out, I always do.  For now, I'll let that torch pass to Dave, for now.  

Pinecones & Memories

While scrolling through some old photos I ran across this one.  I remember it all too well.  This was my parent's 25th Anniversary.  We had them over to our tiny house, along with my brother and his wife and my Granny and my sister.  We either grilled steaks, fried chicken or grilled it, don't remember that part.  That dirt part behind me (I'm in black) is the garden that I was working on and became my way to exercise and lose the baby fat after my first daughter.  25 years, and now we are approaching our 49th year.  The only ones left from this photo are me and my brother and his wife.  Kind gets me, A LOT!  

There is a lot going on this week.  Yesterday was that daughter's 45th birthday!  I AM NOT THAT OLD, but sadly I am.  A friends husband passed away very suddenly and his funeral is this week.  We just saw him last month.  We lost a classmate of ours and we are getting ready to have our 50th class reunion this weekend.  Yes, and that is on my plate.  Lots of "i's to dot and t's to cross!"  We also have a pre-party at on of the committee members house way out in BFE (an old term bum f**k Egypt) on Thursday evening.  That is clashing with the reunion, the fair and dances that "he" wants to attend.  I WANT him to go with me to my reunion stuff but I won't force him.  It would be nice for him to be by my side and he will for part of it.  I've given him some options for attending and we will see which ones he opts for.  I'm good with whatever.  

Today’s sketch is a plain Jane pinecone. I say plain Jane but sketching it is anything but. This is a very complex little object and at first stumped me on how to start. THIS was a challenge. I started drawing from top to bottom, like I usually do, that did not work, so I erased. Next bottom up, nope, more erasing. By then the paper was smudgy, so I embraced the smudges, especially the darkness in the center or core. I enhanced some areas and then started taking out some dark areas to release the individual scales and bracts (looked that one up!) I used the pencil to create deeper darks and the eraser to release the lights and before long, I saw a pinecone. Maybe there is a lesson to learn from that. That even though there are the darks in your life just keep pushing through and you will come to light, the answer you seek will become clear. Deep or what!

Growing up on Main Street, in our front yard, my grandfather planted a pine tree when they first bought the house from Mrs. Koshow (later to become Mrs. Schumacher). She built two houses next to each other, almost identical, living next door. My parents bought the house when I was in 3rd grade from my grandparents. The pine tree was a steady fixture in my life until I think late 80’s early 90’s. That tree grew to be the tallest thing I have ever seen. The pine cones were few, and the ugliest things, long and skinny. One night, there came a storm and it was struck by lightning. Daddy was in bed, and when it struck he was absolutely knocked out of his bed. They were lucky it didn’t strike the house, but I seem to remember some appliances were damaged. Daddy was so shook by it, and I can’t remember if Momma had a story to tell about the hit. The tree died and had to finally be removed.

There’s not many places in BA that are still standing from my life. All the houses I ever lived in are gone. My high school is gone, my elementary is still there, but renamed. Sometimes I feel erased from my hometown, but the memories are still very strong and the love for the once small town I grew up in will remain forever. I miss that pine tree. It has been erased but not from my memory.

 

Good News, Bad News

 I am back.  Just can't seem to post here lately.  Probably because I've been knee deep in 50th reunion planning.  Plus I've been kind of worrying about my health.  Oh, don't worry, I'm good.  Went to the doctor Monday and proudly went in, stepped on the scale and didn't faint when it tipped a weight I've never been.  DAMMIT!  My blood pressure was great though and doc and I had a nice visit where he said, "I pronounce you healthy."  That made me feel good but then I was off to the lab for blood work, which always makes me a bit nervous.  I was right to be nervous because my glucose was way up, never has been and caused him to be concerned and request more blood work in the next month.  He is on the verge of saying prediabetic.  DAMMIT!  We also discussed the weight loss drugs yet again and decided the shot-ones are not for me.  The question of my thyroid and thyroid problems in my family is a no AND there's also the problem with constipation.  I've had that problem most of my life until I started fiber which changed my life.  I flat out told him I have a love affair with my bowel movements and I do not want to mess that up, he totally agreed.  So he prescribed a pill called Contrave, which also has some of those issues, not as bad.  I still have picked it up yet because my insurance, Medicare, which is supposed to cover it, is putting the brakes on.  BUT, I've taken the bull by the horns and really started to do the very low carb diet, yet again.  So since Tuesday morning till today, I've lost 3 pounds!  I think I can do this.

Saturday morning I opened my emails while at the cabin and gasped when I saw a notice from an art show I had forgotten that I entered the past couple of weeks.  It was a notice that I had juried into another art show at the Salmagundi in NYC!  It's a different group than last time, and not only did I get one in the show, I got two in the show!!!!!  

“I am happy to inform you that CLWAC’s jury of selection has accepted your work for the 127th Annual Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Open Juried Exhibition, at the Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY to be held on November 19 through December 6, 2024, with awards reception and final removal on December 7, 2024.”

I'll share later which paintings are in it as they have asked to not put them on social media until the show starts.  This show has prizes too!  I was so excited I cried.  It is validation that I am an actual artist, a good artist.  

I'll keep you posted.

The weekend also brought a bit of bad news, family and friends.  The brother-in-law is in the hospital with Covid and sepsis but is getting better.  Also, just before our 50th class reunion next weekend, we lost a classmate, a well known one too.  He battled cancer for several years.  

In the meantime here are some more sketches I've been working on.  

Mother's Day and Weekend Fun

Good morning.  It's another wet morning here but should clear a bit later.  It had better because I have errands to run.  The photo is the dam at our cabin area.  Last weeks storms and monumental rains have the creek way up, up enough to let an air boat up the creek making a lot of noise.  We headed there Thursday and had a most wonderful time sitting on the newly screened porch and the new shades.  It was even cool enough in the mornings for a fire on the porch.  

Saturday night we hosted a fajita bar.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  Yesterday was of course Mother's Day and I kind of glossed over it.  It's hard to celebrate a day when you don't have a mother to call.  Oh yes, I should CELEBRATE her, and I do in my mind, it's just that I miss her sometimes too much on that day.  I do acknowledge the other mothers in my life, my daughters, who are fantastic mommas.  My darling mother-in-law, whom I miss dearly.  My friends, who are mommas.  My dear friend, Beverly, who lost her 94 year old mother just last week.  Mother's everywhere.  

Okay, now I am going to ask a question.  I have posted here on my blog for nearly 18 years and the reader traffic has been mostly non-existent BUT lately, I've noticed that I'm getting a lot of traffic.  My posts are getting like 45-85 reads lately.  What is up with that and who are they and WHY DOESN'T anyone at least comment.  Is it bots, AI, WHAT!  Just curious what is going on.  If you're out there, maybe say something please.  I don't think I'm THAT interesting, am I.  

Tornados and Covid

This is a weird morning with tornado sirens first thing.  We're all okay but a squall line with potential for tornados went through and the peace and quiet of a soft rain was interrupted. 

I'm here, just not much to say or not in a place to get the words out.  Things are just clicking along with the kids, grandkids, retirement, just life.  I've hardly had time to paint what with just not being in the studio for various reasons.  This past week we had Min a couple of days and night because Mighty Max was in the hospital with Covid.  The middle of the night I believe Monday his momma took him to the hospital while Nick stayed home with Min, then he brought her to me.  He went to the hospital to relieve Af so she could go home and rest, she had Covid too.  Min and Nick were negative but we think Min had it first, just not a bad case.  Max only had to be in overnight after they gave him some steroids and did an echo on his heart to make sure all was well.  He was and is good, and now home.  He's still a bit croupy but much much better and all are negative.  

He sucks his blanket like a pacifier.

All is right in their world now. 

I did get a bit of painting done with mostly watercolors with Min and at the studio to finish up an oil I started a couple of weeks ago. 

A Walk Down Memory Lane

I took a drive yesterday with my cousins to Rattlesnake Holla (Hollow) in Jay, Oklahoma. This house and the property is where so many of my favorite childhood memories reside. I called it Greatgranny’s. So many children ran through that house and around the yard. There was a gigantic garden, benches under trees to sit during the summer (no A/C!) and people always around visiting. The last barn was crushed by a huge tree but the house still stands, although the only inhabitants now are brown recluse spiders and a snake or two. There used to flowerbeds everywhere filled with yucca’s, irises, and Greatgranny’s prized Italian arum. I found tons of it mingled in the naturalized daffodils. I wanted to take some home but reading about its toxicity and ability to be invasive I thought better. Need to do some research.

We then ventured on to the other side of Jay to see cousin Martha. Today is her 85th birthday! Martha is the last of the generation that was my mother’s era. Martha and her brothers, Dan and Ben were momma’s cousins and like siblings to her as she was an only child. It was good to hug her. Gosh she looks so much like my Granny.

the garden...

The old chicken coop, although I don't ever remember them having chickens.

The old tool shed.

That porch, loved that porch.  I went digging around and found this photo of Big Dan, Martha, Ben, Danny and my Momma. The walkway stone is still under the grass and dirt.  

Once the water well.

We then ventured on to the other side of Jay to see cousin Martha. Today is her 85th birthday! Martha is the last of the generation that was my mother's era. Martha and her brothers, Dan and Ben were Momma's cousins and like siblings to her, as she was an only child. It was good to hug her. Gosh she looks so much like my Granny. It was a great day spent with cousins.