…a few more shots from the desert.
see that fat little book sitting atop my big sketchbook? pam made it from a cover she found in italy last year. i think it’s a masterpiece. so…i painted it.
you might wonder at my self portrait above, where it looks like i’ve had lip implants. i was making a silly face in the camera. that’s me! always trying to challenge myself.
we went by dear shari elf’s studio and crochet museum, but she wasn’t there. bah. i found her subatomic happiness piece which was hanging on the wall, unbelievably excellent. she leaves her studio doors open wide. a coffee can with a plastic lid has a hole cut out so you can deposit your $ in case you buy anything. i do love that woman!
i created an oral story with my students today. each person contributes one sentence and we go around the class one-by-one. i wish i had written it down because we were laughing so hard. in the end some squirrels strapped on rocket boots and headed off for another galaxy. in case you were wondering i added the squirrel characters.
i almost cried during THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN when stella the elephant died. i handed the book to julie & timothy so they could finish the last 2 pages of the chapter. i told the kids not to despair because we were in the dark and stormy middle of the story, but a rainbow would come at the end. somebody said, “i sure hope so!”
stories are what keep the entire world rotating on it’s axis. that and gravity.
what are you reading? what are you making? where are you going? did you see a squirrel today?
Oh, I had to giggle… snap the fuck out of it! I just finished a very quick read, Elizabeth Berg We Are All Welcome Here. ohmygosh, such a wonderful tale that pulls you in. Set in the 60s, told by the 13 year old daughter, her mother has polio. It’s set in Tupelo, Mississippi. Wonderful tale, I cannot recommend it enough.
ooh good to know!
thank you 🙂
Actually I did see a squirrel today. I’ve recently moved to Pinetop Arizona and we have the MOST AMAZING squirrels here. They are simply beautiful……I did a bit of looking around and think they are Aberts squirrels. Just beautiful. They aren’t as visible now as it is winter but oh what fun they’ll be this Spring!
So I am up to finally getting myself completely moved from New Mexico to Arizona. Down to only the large furniture and the desk for my studio. Been fitting out the LARGE spare bedroom into my studio…..it is huge! Getting itchy to paint, make some journals and generally get back to creative funness.
Thinking about starting up my old blog……so hard to keep the commitment……what keeps you motivated to do yours so faithfully? I suppose it may be that you have a lot of acquaintances who check in.
So glad to hear about the kiddos and stories………they are a delight to read about.
Oh yeah, and I’m in town the other day and find this olive oil/balsamic vinegar store…….I don’t dare mention how much I spent. Anyone out there needing some oil or vinegar, give me a shout. But the best part of the stop was the luscious bar of olive oil soap. Good for felting, good for me….
Love reading your post Mary Ann. Sure would love to crash that winter art retreat…….
Well, I don’t usually write much, almost never. Don’t know what got into me tonight. Must be squirrel inspiration.
P
love your long note. thanks!
one thing that keeps me interested in blogging is the fact that it’s a record of my life.
one day i may need a visual reminder of where i’ve been and the friends i met along the way..
Delightful post, as always.
Reading: Just finished The Last Telegram by Liz Trenow, British pre-WWII, Lily Verner can’t travel and goes to work in her family’s silk factory. Read it in 1 day. Started The Second Time Around by Marcia Willett, fave British author, ranks up there with Rosamond Pilcher, Maeve Binchey, reading her books are like putting on a warm old sweater, cozy slippers, having a cuppa tea. Her characters are well fleshed out and stories of English cottages just make my day.
Making: In a bit of a slump since marathon knitting for a fund raising event for our church. I’ve joined the BoxOsocks Knit Along…starting Jan. running till Dec. the goal is to make a pair on hand knit socks (or more) per month. Hundreds have joined in. Socks can be seen on Instagram.
Going: Nowhere! Just not in the budget this year.
Squirrels: None, not in the valley where I live. Wildlife consists of hummingbirds, lesser Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, Eurasian Collared doves who come to the yard in droves when they see my husband with the can of bird seed. It’s been down in the 30’s overnight for several weeks, Brrrrr.
Reading: The Art of Pilgrimage by Phil Cousineau – it’s about mindful travel, I’m always up for a book on travel, also, always up for travel. So that works out… Making: starting on a crochet blanket in mossy greens and lime greens and lavender moor colors, thinking about the Blurb book you suggested! Going: next – Scotland! With our mutual watercolorist friend Barbara Roth from San Diego – the Milestone Travel Year indeed. I think you’d very much enjoy the British isles…. Squirrels – I have a troop of them in the backyard. They climb on the outside of the porch screen (their little cream color bellies are always facing me) and make daring runs at the bird feeders, and one of them likes to hang on to the screen by her back claws and eat seeds with her delicate little front paws.
oh i bet you’ll have plenty of fun with barbara in scotland.
lucky you!
Oh, I love the Subatomic Happiness piece. At first I thought maybe this was what you gathered on your walks through the desert. Pams thick sketchbook is awesome, as is your painting of it. Cold and very windy in Texas with lots of rainfall already this year. Then we have a few 70 degree days then cold again, the cedar trees are popping, so we are all sniffling. I’ve been reading the Canadian author Louise Penny. She has a mystery series that continues for 12 books, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I just finished number 5. I’m finding her writing style very enjoyable. I also loved that she mentions and quotes Leonard Cohen in two of the books so far.
The squirrels in my back yard are chasing the cardinals away from the feeder. The big blue jay is holding his own, he won’t back down, its a standoff that is kind of amusing to watch. I always love your squirrel paintings!
oh the little animals. their wildness does bring us pleasure doesn’t it?
You have a unique gift. While I follow you I feel inadequate and inspired. I’m almost 73 and hoping for more inspiration.
Just one more thought, MAM…. We had a cold snap last week that lasted several days. (Yes, we DO have cold weather in NW Florida.) The plant saucer that we keep filled with water for the critters and an empty flower pot that was full of rainwater were frozen solid for 2-3 days. The squirrels that normally are scampering all over our yard and raiding the bird feeders were not to be seen. No birds either. It was just too cold and barely got above freezing. When it finally warmed up, they came out in full force and sucked the bird feeder dry! I don’t think there was a single seed left. Brazen little devils, but they are cute and literally hang by their toes from the feeder, eating upside down! Quite a sight to see….😂😂😂
Mary Ann–I forgot; I loved that you put squirrels into your off-the-cuff story with your students. There was a cute one on the patio this morning, waiting for me to put out the food. I just love those little gnome-like tiny critters!
–Deb
Greetings from NW Florida, MAM! I had to smile when you mentioned the story created on the fly with your kiddoes. My family has done this several times, once while we were camping. We were all sitting outside in a circle under the stars and the story just got more ridiculous as we went around the circle embellishing and trying to out do one another. I think we were all doubled over in laughter by the end. One other time at a family gathering, I brought a box of assorted stuff in a box (I went around the house collecting odds and ends that included a potato masher, tiny lantern, screw driver, masking tape….whatever I found and would fit in the box.) Each person had to use an item from the box to add their bit to the story. Now you talk about a crazy story!! But it sure was fun!! Oh, and I can’t forget the time I printed vintage photographs from the internet. Each person selected one of the photographs as an Adopted Ancestor. Then we all wrote short stories about the person or persons (some pictures had more than one person in it). That also gave rise to some amazing stories and revealed some very talented and creative writers among us. Maybe your kiddoes would enjoy one of these variations on creative story telling.
You always bring us such interesting things you are doing and seeing. You inspire us and give us the nudge we need to keep in touch with our creative side. Thanks for reminding us to lighten up and enjoy our ride on the planet.
i am 100% on your claims.
going to use those activities with my brood. oh fun!!!
thank you
Mary Ann–I’m so glad you had a good time on your desert retreat. Your art was so good.
These days, I’m taking care of an ailing husband–he hasn’t been to work in about 3 to 4 months. We’re seeing a lot of specialists to find out how we can make him better. It’s been a challenge, but I keep on keeping on.
I’m doing my editing/proofreading work every day for a major publisher of nursing and medical journal and books.
I’m also working on some black and white designs for my VIDA collection. I know–I still haven’t started my new blog, which I hope to get to soon.
I also need to get back to my art journals.
Went to my art organization, Artists of Yardley, on Wednesday–a presentation on making a sustainable living as an artist. Very interesting. Her name is Colleen Atara if you want to look her up.
I’m reading Sisters One, Two, Three by Nancy Star. It’s good, but I haven’t really gotten into the meat of it yet.
My next book will be What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan, a British psychological thriller. I especially love British novels AND stories in France and any place in the UK.
So … that’s what I’ve been up to.
Best wishes,
Deb
you’re such an interesting person deb and do such cool things. your husband is in good hands.
going to look up those books.
waving to you from up here in NELA
I just read Sisters One, Two, Three. The ending will surprise you!
You and your blog are a treauer. Thanks for starting my day with a smile.
thank you jane 🙂
Have you read the Wainscot Weasel to your students? Long but worth it. I read it every year to my first graders.
no i will investigate!
No squirrel sightings today. But then there are no squirrels here in Hawai’i. Was too busy making lunch for my book club to look outside for wild life. Might have seen plovers or red cardinals if I had. We discussed the book, “The Last Painting of Sara De Vos.” I am currently working my way through the “Complete Book of Basho Haiku”, a Zen priest from the late 1600’s.
book club!
zen priests!
plovers & cardinals!
I had the same experience while I was reading the ending of “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.” I handed the book to a student to finish. There was no rainbow at the end. No sightings for some time of our resident ground squirrel. Hope he is hibernating and not trapped by a neighbor who does that sort of thing. Love your post, as always .
oh paulette…
about your neighbor. grrrrrr…i wish the 900 squirrels of the apocalypse to descend upon his house. since they’ll all have rocket launcher boots he won’t be able to catch them.
Per your suggestion – researching tiny rocket launcher boots for squirrels. Have a lovely day with your students.
Oh my gosh!!! That shot of the tree reflected in the puddle is AWESOME!!
Reading ~ some old Rosamunde Pilcher short stories for the comfort factor ~ last week was rough…
Going ~ not much of anywhere! Still semi-snowed in from our ‘Snowmaggedon’ of 2 weeks ago…
Making ~ nothing ~ I’m still doing a major clean & purge in my studio…
We saw several squirrels today ~ they have 2 nests in the river birch tree in our back yard…
I hope you guys continue to have loverly times in the desert!!!
comfort is muy importante in these times!
i do wish i could be snowed in for 1 day.
what must that be like….?
I loved every word of this post, every journal page, thanks! xox
promise me we’re having a mini art retreat soon with our other bff. i miss you