Ginger

Ginger 10x8 Portrait Sold

Another Christmas has come and gone as I write this blog. I hope yours was as enjoyable as ours.

This year we went to a friends house for Christmas dinner and had a grand time. In total there were 11 people there which included 4 young people with very healthy appetites and there was still turkey left over.

The really funny thing is, it was one of Connors turkeys being served at the feast and when the initial invitation was issued I thanked the Lord because I have the twin to in in my own freezer and did not relish having to cook it for only 4 people.

It is not the cooking I really object to, its the multitude of cookbooks I have to scour to find new and innovative ways to eat the same turkey over the next week!

Davids sisters are coming this week with their families and then I will cook the "big bird" , send everyone home with a goody bag and then only have to eat turkey for 4 days instead of the usual 7!

Here's hoping you have similar difficulties during your holiday season!

The above painting is a commission of a dog that belongs to a former employer of mine. It has been many years since we moved from the area she lives in so when I got the call to paint Ginger was both surprised and pleased to hear she was still alive. This grand old gal used to make me smile every morning not only for her pleasant personality but for her ability to lead a double life.

Ginger, who is adored by her owner Bruce, loved another fellow as well. Each morning, regular as clock work at 6:45am a whistle would be heard from the road and up would go Gingers ears. She never moved until she heard the cry of "Sparky. Come girl." And with a glance at Bruce , as if seeking approval, out the barn door she would race to go for her morning walk with the neighbor.

Every morning as we were reaching the end of milking Ginger aka Sparky would trot back in the barn followed sprightly by her walking companion. He called her Sparky. Bruce called her Ginger.

It had been a long while since I had seen Ginger (that's what I called her) and as I painted her I remembered that little quirk of hers and smiled. Then I realized, we all have that same ability to be recognized as something other than we are.

I am called Crystal, Mom, Kiss, Sweetie and a few others I'll not mention and pretend never happened! So here's hoping you're surrounded by people who call you many different names but still love you for who you are.

Have a Happy New Year!

Snow Baby

Snow Baby 8x10 oil Sold

What a great day!

I just received my marks and I am a VERY happy camper right now. I guess my poor brain did not have as much rust on it as previous thought!

I am lucky enough to have passed everything and was able to keep my average well above 80%.

My kids teased me that I did not have a 90% average. I reminded them to be kind, their day was coming and I would expect the same from them. Instant silence!

To say this past semester was difficult would be a massive understatement. It was like shoveling s*#t up hill on a rainy day most of the time. Unfortunately that leads to stress and makes this Domestic Goddess a cranky Deity. So here it is in print for everyone to see,

Thank you to all my friends and family .

You did not shoot me and hide the body, you helped me focus and not only pass but succeed where I did not think I could.

You were all right. Next time I will listen better!

Today's painting is one I just finished and I think it rather apropos to the present situation. Just like the cow standing in the cold, surrounded by snow and bad pasture, there is nothing wrong with looking for greener pastures. For me, calculus is definitely in that brown area and I am out for some new munchies!

Decembers Flowers

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Just a quick post to show something of note. I know it is not a painting but there are several in the works and are coming soon!

As I walked out to do the chores I looked at the ground and what did I see but FLOWERS! The dandelion was the first to catch my eye and then my ever curious mind decided to search the flower gardens and WOW, VIOLETS!!!

As I write this missive, we are being hit with a monsoon like rain storm. We are only single digit days away from Christmas and not a flake in sight. I am not complaining. I hate shovelling the white stuff but I would appreciate it getting cold enough to freeze the ground. I tire of trudging through the slop to feed the animals. Rubber boots in December is an odd twist of fashion even for the farm yard.

One certainly thinks about the Polar bears at a time like this. Makes me wonder if the only white stuff they will see this year will be on the side of the new Coke can!

Eagle Nebula

The Eagle Nebula 12 x 6 Oil

So I am deep in the trenches, trying hard to make my late model brain remember the difference between differential equations, statistical inference and resonance. It is rather like shoveling the good stuff up a hill, on a rainy day!

I am in pretty good stead in Chemistry , surprisingly I already have a pass. The goal of course is to surpass expectations. I am not sure my poor brain can handle the strain. Add the flu on top of that and you have a recipe for some entertaining exam answers.

I find it amazing the attitudes of some of my fellow students. Some think that hard work will generate positive results. They are correct while the latter seem to perceive their role in the educational process as voluntary and unworthy of their attentions.

These people are what are commonly referred to as Christmas Grads. I have had the pleasure of having a few of these potential seasonal wonders in my lovingly coined "Group" projects.

It is always said there is no "I" in team, well there sure as heck isn't an "US" in it either! Whoever thought group projects were a good idea should be captured, strung up and beat to death with a sharp spiky instrument. Even worse are those joyful group projects where one is assigned group members. I grew out of this sort of experience about 27 years ago!!!!

I talked to several friends who are also mature students and they had similar experiences and as much as I do NOT enjoy studying for final exams the mark I receive will be completely and totally of my creation. No fluctuations caused by "seasonal" blips if I actually retain the multitude of pages within my text books.

I must say I do enjoy putting on the pressure. For all those ner'do'wells surrounding me in the classroom who put forth little effort and expect great marks in return, enter the term bonus projects.

The painting shown today is my Chemistry term bonus project. Thank the Lord for teachers who encourage a little extra on the side and allow you to show your talents while explaining its relevance to the subject at hand. I got full marks. The dingbat who misspelled chlorine on their crumpled blue bristol board did not.

Did you know that the Eagle Nebula is really just a collection of dust, atoms and gas emissions that are the precursor to the formation of galaxies? Even cooler, the original image of the Eagle Nebula taken with the Hubble Telescope required three different shots all superimposed upon one another to create the beauty of that Nebula. If you have the chance you should google it. It really is interesting and it will shock you to learn that galaxies such as our own began with insignificant specks of dust.

Well, the flu pills have kicked in. My headache is gone, it is time to tackle calculus!