Hark!

Into this quiet, post-Xmas time I managed to inject a world of angst when the acrylics eluded success after long efforts at the easel. Then...Hark! a voice from Tucson...friend Carol brought all her years of art and teaching to bear on my story via our smart phones these 2000 +/- years past Christ's Last Supper. A large sigh of relief was heard from my now nearly clear lungs, and I attacked the project renewed and eager in a way that brought me back to the Pima College Days in the early 80s. Yea!

Yecccch!

I just plain don't like acrylics, and never have. So why did I use them? To answer that I'll get all tangled up in my own underwear; so, I won't try.

Using the white acrylic like the gesso it really is I painted a slurry over all the dark stuff.

Looking at this I think the dark needed even more white over it, but wondered if it would then take pastels.

The pastels aren't up to covering the darks, but the charcoal is mostly OK covering, but details will be a problem.

Went to get another canvas to start anew, and don't you know...it's New Year's Eve! and the local Michael's locked up as I was getting out of my car at 6 p.m. (No wonder there was so much crazy traffic today.)  Blick's up in Allentown is open for a few hours tomorrow with a half price sale going on so I'll probably head there.

Maybe I can use the acrylics to paint stuff on tee-shirts.

It is comfy here at Marge's. I feel for the old couple next door as they are having a new furnace installed the last couple of days. Nobody wants to have to do that Christmas week.

And, it seems a little outlandish celebrating Christ''s birth and have a Last Supper project going on. He won't mind though, I'm reasonably sure. He was pretty unorthodox in His own time.

Aidan shared another selfie a few days ago. It's the second wallop that he is proud of. I'd be proud just to do the first wallop half the distance and not break my toe.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Quiet Times

It's a quiet Monday. After a slow start that included a satisfying breakfast despite the lack of more than one egg yolk in the omelet (in deference to that naughty report a few months ago), I laid out the supplies for getting serious about the painting and found I'd left the brushes behind at Rhapsody Ridge. Time out to trot over there on my pony Subaru and back. Of course, then it's nap time. An unremarkable painting session took place the remainder of the afternoon. It's at the beginning of the uphill part where I seriously doubt my sanity for picking up a brush and a tube of paint. That will last awhile.

Sunday's church included Keoni and Aidan with the 11 other musicians who trickled in for the short practice before the service began. It included two singers and lots of Christmas music scattered through the service. A satisfying time overall.

That's Aidan in front on the left. neighbor Peter in center and Keoni on the right. There were the two cellos, Keoni's violin, two clarinets, two flutes, two saxes, one bassoon, one trumpet, one French horn and one trombone. Pretty good turnout for a call for instrumentalists. The church music director played either the piano or the organ along with them. Some were like Keoni and Peter--home for the holidays.

Keoni accompanying the two singers. One he went to high school with.

We got sticky buns over at the Mennonite cafe afterward.

Marge's friends staying here in the guest room went on their way early Sunday morning. An interesting, congenial couple with family and friends in the area. Hearing of others' holidays is satisfying, too, and the greetings and electronic communications have kept my attention and interest going for days. Yesterday, sister Jeanenne sent along an electronic family selfie...

Jeanenne is farthest to the right in light blue. Whew! There must have been lots of dishes to wash after this get-together.

Jeanenne and Larry's grandchildren; my grand nephew and nieces. Two more are due in 2016.

Frezz, Fancy and Sebastian have the right idea.

It's just fine being quiet now.

Weather Report: Music in the Air

The very warm, sodden air. Tee shirts! Had to dig out a short sleeve tee-shirt for myself when I got to Wendy and John's this morning.

Christmas Morning.

Post present opening, enjoying Wendy's wonderful cinnamon rolls she makes for Christmas mornings.

All day long music moments keep happening as Keoni and Aidan collaborate and put in some time on Sunday's carols for church...

Then, they downloaded O Holy Night cello part and put it together with the violin and piano (Keoni played it on my keyboard and recorded). Using one of the new tripods here's the two-person trio...




I put on my boots and had a walk around the perimeter of Rhapsody Ridge. Keoni came along, too. When we returned Aidan was practicing soccer moves on the back porch and recorded some of his results...

And, this...




Now we are awaiting the Roast Beast. I think everybody is salivating.

I'm thinking about one of my recent walks when I saw a bird I had never seen before. I could hardly believe I was seeing a Snowy Owl, but all research and Wednesday's Nature on PBS about the Snowy Owl confirmed it. What a moment. And, a couple of miles down Ridge Road the other day I saw a Coyote! A long time ago, in a place far, far away...there were lots of coyotes. (Tucson, of course.) But in PA, yet!

My favorite picture ever of Carol with Montana in Tubac. I believe Janie's photography.

I'm going to go look in the oven window at the Roast Beast.

Weather Report: It Is Not Snowing!

I could think of nothing compelling enough to hitch up my pony Subaru and drive around in the pouring rain while dodging our preoccupied, hurrying populace hurtling along a kaleidoscope of Christmas and holiday errands. Yesterday and today have been productive for me, and yielded my own set of small personal and holiday pursuits; including yesterday's haircut (out in yesterday's pouring rain).

I'm settling in pretty well here at Marge's Quakertown home. Even got in a few licks on the Lenten canvas...

There's the candlelight service to get to tomorrow and an apple pie or apple crisp to put together. Some sweet potatoes await baking and enhancements. Marge's friends will show up sometime tomorrow afternoon for a couple overnights as they visit family here in Quakertown before leaving on Sunday morning. Wendy has been prepping the Roast Beast in her fridge for several days. I stopped there yesterday afternoon and the kitchen smelled wonderfully chocolatey as she worked at goat milk fudge.

My events of the fall are mending and will be alright with time, and the weekend's sad family news is gradually assimilating. There are hosts of good things to temper the difficult. Had I been one of the Syrians crawling under barb wire or clinging to a capsized boat or trudging down endless roads and pathways, I wouldn't see myself in the mirror tomorrow morning.

I'm saying thanks for a bounty of life and living...

Even the street has its moment...

Out Marge's front porch...that's my pony hitched up in front.

Marge's Christmas tree...

Merry Christmas to all!

and 

To All a Good Night!

Christmastime is Close & and a Memorial

Evidence of Christmas grew exponentially on Friday evening.

Wendy decking the halls...

...and Keoni and Aidan be-decking the tree...

...and Karma finds fuzziest place in the room.

Saturday was my move to Quakertown for a three month stay at friend Marge's to look after her place...

Out the back patio doors this morning. Squirrels, birds, neighbor walking his dog and cat.

...while she visits her brother in Charleston, SC, and points in between.

Emma Grace who has a cold and cough with Marge at her first stop.

Aidan manfully carted a ton of stuff from my room to the car and from the car to three different floors at Marge's; the top floor we're calling the studio and Aidan carted a huge portion of my art stuff up there to get busy and fulfill that painting I promised for Lenten stations of the cross at my church. Time to get that supper on the table! Aidan and I had a nice time with Marge's electric stair chair, too, sending some heavy stuff to the second floor, including a ride for me and for him. He deserved the treat we got when I took him back home via our favorite Energy Station local restaurant.

I'll look forward to seeing Toby through the winter at Wendy's. She promised to give him a smidgen of goat milk in the mornings.

Aidan's Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO) was this afternoon. He wore his new tuxedo and the music was just wonderful. They were joined by the Upper Darby High School Choir for several selections.

Post concert. One long day that started with cello lesson, on to orchestra rehearsal/performance, followed by he, his dad and brother going to the Eagles vs Cardinals game. I took Wendy home.

______

I'm glad Aidan and I had some good work and good moments together on Saturday because unsettling news came from my sister Jeanenne who called with sad news that our brother Joe, who was estranged, had died or possibly was about to die, but information was scarce. By late afternoon sister Susie called and said he'd gone into hospice care during the week and one daughter and granddaughter had flown into St. Louis Thursday night and another daughter was on her way from the West Coast. Late last evening Susie let us know he'd just died. I am understanding he didn't want a funeral.

So, I am repeating this photo that I took the other day. I didn't know then it would illustrate my brother reaching his winter's end.

Peace be with you, Joe.

No Snow and Goat Love Story

What happened? Two winters have gone by, and this time we're stoked for the snow and ice, but Aidan is wearing shorts today on his field trip to Princeton University to see A Christmas Carol at their theater.

A wintery sky says it's cold, but it's not.

Super milk goat Jasmine is in heat.

After milking she stands in the goat pasture opposite the pen of the boy goats all clustered in their nearest corner.  All are baa-ing mournfully. 

Current events have not been a setback for Jasmine's production. She keeps giving a bit more than a half gallon of milk every morning. The extra glassful I put on my oatmeal. The two quart jarful goes first into the freezer for a quick chill before refrigerating.

Jasmine's is on top shelf, and Ella's on bottom shelf. The fridge is stuffed with milk, cheese and yogurt. The yogurt is still my favorite.

Keoni came home yesterday for a stay until around the second week of January.

They joined me for a walk yesterday afternoon. 

Nice having the violin going during the day. Keoni still plays and walks his circle through the downstairs.

Wendy recorded last night's chess game since "who won" was up for discussion. She may have posted it somewhere.

From the landing is where Toby rules the ingress of his big dog "friends". I asked him why he did this and he replied, "Because I can". Then, he started cleaning his nether end. Oddly, Sebastian trots by him OK.

A stiff, wind accented with strong gusts this morning blew the clouds away. It is still barely jacket weather this evening.

Wendy was inside the barn milking this morning. Aidan's soccer balls await action. His precious goal now inside the fence had to be put outside the barn lot when the baby goats were still small. They got tangled in the net.

Fuzzy Dice

Good Morning from Fuzzy Dice Auto Center!

In the waiting area...1947 Cushman Two-Seater Scooter.

My pony Subaru is having a 30,000 miles grooming in the back of my all-time favorite garage. They are saving me $400 for same from the dealership--naughty dealership. And, there is all this local talent refurbishing old cars, trucks, horse vans, jeeps, Jags and motorcycles; plus, all the routine auto TLC.

This 1944 Indian Chief 1200 Military Motorcycle was just sold on eBay to a Japanese gentleman.

I came equipped for the wait since Wendy is milking and John is off to work. Aidan, of course, is off to his school--the first out the door most days.

Now...

Health Desk Report:

Three hours of pretty intensive workup yesterday afternoon at the second opinion eye doc.

Here is what I learned: Lens specks do happen once in awhile; I could have had a corrective lens (but wasn't told about it); the surgery itself was a good job; new doc'll check the speck in a month; there's a slight bit of irritation around speck so upped the prednisone drops dosage; he won't let it go too long as can cause other problems, surgically remove it if not gone pretty soon; yes, specks self-absorb (sometimes) because they are no longer in the "sac" and body regards it as a foreign object--answering my question about how come the body absorbs the speck when it doesn't absorb its own eye lenses when we're born; yes, we are going to do the other eye (later, after right eye issues resolved), not only because of its cataract, but because the lens is yellowed and the refraction so different from the right eye now that it is causing the brain to interpret the prism-like sight message as double vision; yes, we can correct the double vision which occurs at range for reading or looking at this laptop screen, but not using the glasses Rx from the other doc (he didn't go beyond standard measurements which wouldn't have worked) with reading glasses and distance glasses, "get cheap ones, doesn't matter where from" new doc says so can toss when other eye is corrected. 

Yea! very decent, brilliant guy, brilliant warm staff. Whew!

Now you know way more than you wanted about ophthalmology. (Even the spelling!)

I'll return to my e-newspapers now after I scare up a cup of coffee from the Fuzzy Dice contraption.

Milk and Ladybugs

I am glad for my connections to people that have been evolving during the almost 2 1/2 years of living in PA. Not only for their generous responses that joined those from my old friends and family during my recent surprise health event, but for the lacework of social fabric that it grows. I know people's names and they know mine, or at least we recognize one another. Actually running into someone I know at a store is occasionally taking place.

Today, there is a young person that came up to the door. Kaitlyn (sp?), neighbor Joe's great-granddaughter, who got ready for school early this morning so she can come help Wendy milk the goats. Young Kaitlyn is a great lover of animals and good at the milking!

Wendy and Neighbor Kaitlyn after Kaitlyn helped milk Jasmine.

Katlyn returned a few days later to help some more before it was time for her to board the school bus. She is in the elementary school where Aidan spent his fifth grade during our first year here. The fridge fills with way more milk than we can all consume, so Wendy is making all sorts of cheese and just added a batch of yogurt. I can't scarf up all that bounty of cheese since I was put on the list to stay away from cholesterol or take statins. But, I've sampled, and it is truly the best she's ever made. I indulge with the yogurt and fruit. I think it's my favorite and not too naughty.

Hemming the trousers to Aidan's brand new, first-ever tuxedo occupied a little of my time. I'm the chief alterations/hemming person.

Here he is studs, cummerbund and all.

Pre-hemmed. New shoes are next. These of Keoni's are pretty worn.

Aidan's list for new shoes: They're too tight, they're too worn, they're hand-me-downs. Wendy started laughing and told him to reverse that order. They will shop on Saturday.

Last weekend Wendy, John and Aidan finished the last stretch of fencing. The pasture is ready for the goats and Austin in the springtime. The winter water there isn't resolved yet since the electric supply to run a de-icer doesn't reach that far.

The past week was fraught with this and that related to medical issues. The last visit to the ophthalmologist revealed him to be as obtuse as before leaving me to conclude his non-communication is a desperate attempt to not say anything that will implicate him in a lawsuit. I documented all I could remember of the appointments and today will see a totally different ophthalmologist for a second opinion. I hope I never see (!) the first guy again.

Like everyone else I've taken a flying leap into the Christmas fray. All praises for Amazon this time around. Though I love finding the local stuff, not too much was going to happen that way this year. I was hoping one of the little Amazon drones would drop off some packages on the stoop, but I guess Pennsylvania has too many trees for them. There'd be packages all over the woods, no doubt.

Mornings are best for energy from the other issue and I grow pretty tired in the afternoons. But on the whole am doing well, coughing less, and enjoying my walks on most days; even rainy ones...

...Austin didn't mind the rain either...

...me either in my waterproof, Helen Mirren hikers.

Last night, a non-tuxedo night, Aidan was invited to play with his middle school orchestra and chamber ensemble. He isn't in the actual orchestra there this year as the practices fall during his last classes one of which is the AP Algebra class.

After we got back home I was upstairs reading when Wendy and Aidan knocked on my door and showed me a little drama that played out on the kitchen table that they'd documented on Wendy's iPhone. She was good enough to share it with us as we learn more about the life of the Lady Bugs wintering all over the house...

A drop of milk was spilt on the table; a lady bug dropped from the ceiling.

What a thirsty bug! Thanks for sharing, Wendy.