Friends and Followers Lend Me Your Eyes!

Ahh- the exhilaration of having an entire week stretched out in front of you. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty to do. Chores I've put off too long, books begging to be read, paintings I've promised for months to finish (start in some cases), drawings in my head that claw desperately to get out, fingerless gloves (I have tried, started, ripped-out and knitted, crocheted, and cast aside a dozen patterns and ideas)to be made, recipes to try.

Sigh. The kitchen needs painting, the recycling needs attention before it takes over the basement completely, and we won't even discuss the gardens. I have several lovely bolts of drapery silks screaming to be made into very dreamy draperies, but here I sit, hungrily catching up on all the blogs, websites, reading rooms, twittering, etc that I've ignored for the last 8 months.

So how've y'all been? What new ideas, technologies or dreams have you been chasing? What keeps you sane? What makes you deliciously insane?

Insanity CAN be delicious, yes? Those moments of peaceful internalization where you finish every chore, paint every masterpiece, design every wonderful object to perfection. You understand I'm not talking about true psychosis here, just a little fantasy to get you through the long winter days.

I have discovered Following! Late, yes, better than never though. I have begun my reader's list of blogs that I follow more or less with consistency. I've also added a Following widget to my blog. Please become a follower. I would love to know my blog occasionally gives you some enjoyment (boredom, peace, humor, out-and-out laughter at my horrible attempts at blogging... did I say that aloud?)

Read on my lovely friends.

Magical Winter Wishes!

Life's Been Busy!

Needless to say being a new teacher is very intense. I really love it even though I'm busier than ever keeping up with all the stuff that goes along with daily teaching. It will get easier and then I'll be able to once again blog and create artwork for me.

We are going into my favorite season of Autumn. I love the way you can see and smell the changes in the air. I especially love the early mornings. The wee bit of crisp in the air is heaven. The turning leaves (which may be soon) are breathtaking on my street. I'm sure I will enjoy numerous mornings walking to work through their loveliness.

My garden has all but expired due to drought and inattention these past few weeks. Ah well, there is always next year. The above chestnut photo was taken last year in my front yard. I would like to tell you we've enjoyed a few of these great nuts, but we haven't been able to harvest any nuts before our squirrel population does. And who could blame them? We have, in addition to the chestnut tree, pecan, walnut and hickory nut trees. These are mixed in with several very old white oaks. Squirrel heaven around here.

I wanted to touch base with everyone. I am still here. Still creating, although currently, for a different purpose. Life is good.

Until later - Happy Mornings to All of You!

New Career Move!

I've been challenged with re-designing the Fulton Falcon look. Fulton has changed to the Academy format, so a new look would help. This is just one idea. This will most likely become a class project. Any Fulton grads are welcome to offer ideas.

Egads! It has been way too long since my last post. But the good news is it has all been for a good reason. I am now a teacher at my old alma mater, Fulton High School. I will be teaching Graphic Design. I am very excited about this new venture. I have always loved teaching and love what I do as an artist, so why not both? Although lately I've been too busy to be very creative and am starting to feel the itch to get something new started.

Summer is a bad time for me to try to get very many indoor projects accomplished or to focus on much more than just working in the yard, gardening and basic chores. I seem to overextend on a regular basis and should never attempt anything else this time of year.

Autumn is my season. I seem to come alive as the leaves begin to change. I love the call of the cicadas. I love the change in the air. The bright blueness of the sky. I have a murder of crows living in a tall pine in my front yard and they caw more in autumn...love it!

I even love going back to school! Which this year I will be walking the halls of my former high school and striving to make a difference. I hope my students will be as excited about art, design, illustration and all that goes with those disciplines as I am.

So bear with me while I get my footing in my newest challenge. This will be the only post about my teaching position. I will (at some point) have a teacher web page on the official school site. So I won't be posting anything concerned with the school except there.

Yay! Go Falcons!

Poster Art ala Indy

Above is a birthday present for one of my sons. After grilling him on what he would like for his birthday and getting the "nothing" reply, I had an "Eureka!" moment and decided to make him an Indy-esque poster where he is the star. His birthday was the day before the movie open. He desperately wanted to attend, but couldn't go for a few days. He has always been a big fan of the Indy movies (so have I). The finished poster is 20x30 and framed which gives it a nice authentic feel. All the elements of the poster have personal meaning for him and his wife. Even the Mayan ruins.

Children's Reading Festival

I had a great time with fellow illustrators, Tuesday Mourning and Adam Parsons among others at Knox County Public Library's Children's Reading Festival. Thanks to everyone who stopped and let us know how we're touching and entertaining you. Always good to hear from you.

Pics on Tuesday Mourning
Thanks for posting these. I think they are terrific. Tuesday Mourning was superb! As well as Adam Parsons.

Spring Chores

Dandelions - My favorite flower. Many times I received chubby handfuls of these from my sons

I can't believe it has been so long since I last blogged. I've been so busy just trying to keep up with Spring chores. And - whew-boy!...Spring has Sprung. I have been mowing (since hubby took a spill on the riding mower a couple of weeks ago - he's okay - now) and weeding and planting our vegetable garden. It has been a chore.

Dad and I took a trip to one of our local Seed/Plant/Tree retailers. We came home with far too many tomato plants again. Every year we plan to do just enough to eat. That lasts until we see the rows of varieties. "Let's have some of these." "Oh, we like Big Boys." "I need some Roma." etc and so forth until we have more than we can eat or I can prepare in dishes. So I suppose I'll be cooking up batches of spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, canned tomatoes, and other delicacies for winter enjoyment.

A couple of year's ago I made a huge batch of Chow-Chow. My neighbor swears it is the best he's ever eaten. I've had friends asked for more, but hey, it may never turn out the same again. I took my recipe from memory. It was one my grandmother used to make. My dad's mom canned and froze vegetables and fruits from their large garden every year. They always had the staple foods and strawberries and rhubarb among others. My grandfather had chickens and I have some wonderful footage of my sons collecting eggs with him the spring before he passed away at 96 years of age. They had pigs when I was younger, but as they aged, they gave up the larger animals.

And because I can't do anything without doing some kind of art I made labels for my Chow-Chow and my Jalapeno Peppers. Man were they good!