Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The sun is shining but it is 10 degrees F out there and I can feel the chill of winter descending. Notice the frozen rivulet in the picture. It has frozen with a vengeance. I didn't notice it until this morning, but I think it was just water until today. This is the scene that I see from my computer. Nice, eh? I love it. I love watching the changing of the seasons and take pictures a lot of my back yard! As I told you before, I took over one hundred pictures one year of this scene. I mounted them on a long strip of wallpaper border and entered them in a photo show. That was the first event of the Evansville Arts Coalition, I think. Let me know if you believe I am wrong? Well, for that matter, let me know if you think I am right!

When we first moved here our back yard bordered on a wetland scene, a marsh if you will. We had ducks and geese landing there. Then a maniac bought the property and drained it and tried to change it into a regular lot. No more ducks and geese. It is still a beautiful vista, however, and manages to flood occasionally regardless of every effort to prevent that. I am very happy at that, because then no one builds a house out there! I have my vista, at least.

When we lived in Brazil I had a cement wall four feet from the window over my kitchen sink. That was my view. That is what makes me go on so endlessly about the view I have now. I LOVE IT. Yes, I do.

In Brazilian cities, people love to live close to their neighbors. We literally had a small sidewalk's width between our house and our neighbors on either side. Our yard and house tool shed also had a wall around it. Not a fence, but a wall. I find that interesting. The whole block of houses was really one walled-in enclave. Not only did people live close to each other, they were really locked in together. There was a fear of robbers. One locked the shutters and doors at night.

As I am a bit claustrophobic, it took a bit of getting used to. It is also probably why I love my view now. I literally can't get enough of it. I photograph it at any time without needing an excuse. Then I pass on its beauty to you. Lucky you! Have a nice day!

titilating Tuesday

I include this picture of Naomi making a crazy face because I miss her especially today. The blog people want me to sign up for beta and change to this new stuff with a Google Account, etc., etc... and I don't understand how to do that and I'm perfectly happy (well, as some of you who have been reading this blog for a while know, I am not PERFECTLY happy) with this deal and don't know how to do the stuff they tell me to do, etc., etc... so I wish she were here so she could guide me through the necessary steps.. The time will come in January when she will be back and I will be back and we can accomplish this task. Until then.. I am frustrated! But I will soldier on.

I have had an e-mail or two from her and she will soon have a phone that will receive my phone calls (I HOPE) so maybe she can fill me in on the necessary steps over the phone.

Karen l is heading to Africa, too, in the next weeks. We are such a far flung people anymore. Kids in China, Japan, Africa, France, etc. But the internet makes it possible for us to stay in touch. Actually something positive about the present age.

My supper awaits. slurp, slurp, soup! yum

Give me a name!!!

Now you've got to admit that this is a challenge! I asked George for a title for this painting and he gave me one. I am now asking you to add your two cents to this mixture. The painting is 20 x 30 inches approximately.. and is crying out for a name. Please don't disappoint me. I was so thrilled by the last name I received for a painting via this blog, so I am sure I will be thrilled once again. C'mon.

It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood! sunny and mild. Next week is the week we are going to plunge into winter, evidently. Great. I am ready for it. Naomi's cell phone isn't working, but she will try to remedy that next week. We are in contact via e-mail. I LOVE E-MAIL!!!! Today is a day to shout hozannah.

Yesterday was called black Friday. The stores are trying to get into the black for the year? I don't know exactly the basis for calling it black, so I am putting that interpretation into the title. Some stores opened up one minute after midnight. Others opened at 5 or 6 am. They offered certain bargains that lured the public into the stores. They perhaps had 5 or 6 of the lures and three thousand shoppers out in the parking lot, but people are in a buying frenzy. Not me. I'm going to shop at the Heifer Project. If you don't know about it, give me a head's up and I will tell you about it. It's a way of helping the less fortunate in the world instead of heaping more things on our already overly heaped heads.

I want to send a shout out to all my friends and family who read this blog. I appreciate your friendship and love. Take care and have a great day! I love you.

Another Beautiful Day

Sun shining. Temperature very mild. Wow. We're having better weather in Minnesota than many of the people in southern climes. Fantastic.

I went to the gym and giggled my way around the circle. I just couldn't get into serious exercise mode. I am just too pumped by the fact that we have arranged to call Naomi on my cell phone. Now - if I can find a time when she is off her phone, all will be well. But I am really excited. If I call her, it doesn't cost her anything. I signed up and I can call her for $4. per month. Wahoo.

Then to add to my euphoria, I had lost a pound since Wednesday! Double Wahoo. I turned down some invitations for Thanksgiving with a resounding "no." I wondered why, until today when I figured out that I have control of food when I stay home. I don't have to face candied yams covered with melted marshmallows, or stuffing, or several varieties of pie. Just what we particularly like is all that is on the menu... turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and pumpkin pie with cool whip. I ate turkey, small portion of mashed potatoes with gravy, tablespoon of corn and a sliver of pumpkin pie. Voila. I made it through.

I am trying to control my diet so that I won't have to go on insulin for my diabetes. So far, so good. For some people, candied yams are just not in the proper picture!

But the news that I can call Naomi is the news that is especially fantastic. When we get together with the rest of the family for Christmas, we can call her, too. Life is good.

Thank you God for your blessings! Have a good day fellow pilgrims!

The Shinning Sun!

Ok. So it's supposed to be the shining sun! It is still shining and beautiful today! I am especially pumped because Fran is back home. I have no idea why I missed her so much while she was gone, but it is probably just a sense of her unavailability for comment or input that bugged me. Welcome back!

This afternoon we have the Art of the Lakes meeting and Nancy Lee is giving a program about Picasso. I have the most beautiful print of a painting by Picasso that Naomi gave me. It is not one of his cubist creations, but a painting of the back of a beautiful woman. Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. That is why Nancy is going to be talking about the "Periods" of Picasso. He worked his way through so many different styles. I am eager to hear what she has to say. I do love my art groups. I have met many fascinating people in each group.

Have a wonderful sunny day!

Sunny Saturday

Yes, it's true. The sun shinning makes all the difference. I look out the back window and see the sun on the reeds over at Shane's, the great fir trees, well, the whole landscape makes my heart sing. Wahoo. I should hop to it and take a picture to share with you. Just a minute.....

Yup. I succeeded in taking the picture even though my batteries were low. They are in the charger now, so the next time I have an impulse to take a picture, I can do it. The actual scene is much brighter, but you can get the idea from this.

All this technology stuff is such a miracle. I didn't have to take the picture, finish the roll of film, take it to the store to leave it to be developed, get it back and try to remember why I took all those pictures... No. I run to the kitchen window, snap a picture, attach the camera by a wire to the computer, voila.... instant gratification. Marvelous.

Change of subject.... Dear Abby told Jim Carey (via TV) that she believed disorganization was related to creativity, so he was not to be too hard on himself if he wasn't organized because his creativity was the payoff. Wow. I will have to think about that a bit. Anyone who has seen the room that I call "the Vicki Room" will know why I ponder this idea. I think I called it that to let George off the hook. He has no responsibility for the chaos that reigns in MY room.

There is a bit of that feeling from Virginia Wolffe, too, that every woman should have a room of her own. I, actually, have several rooms of my own. If I had my way I would probably spread throughout the whole house. Woe, woe, woe is me. Luckily I have a neat husband who keeps pecking away at me to shape up. Almost 53 years of pecking haven't been too successful, but we are still married, so at least we are still trying.

My art room is much more organized than the Vicki room. As I am involved in any one discipline of art, I organize and put away the tools for use in other art disciplines. In this way there is an ongoing organization that helps keep chaos at bay. The Vicki Room is mainly for storage of stuff, and that gets away from me. In the center sits the computer, on the periphery many bookshelves. And as I sit at the computer I look out at the marvelous view. But around me is a seeming chaos that is becoming a real chaos. I definitely need to do something about it so that it can take a pause before becoming chaos again. Sigh.

When pigs fly, as they say. Have a good day.

Friday Fog

I am in a fog, so I just am printing another picture that Fran can see from her apartment... or she could if she were at home in her apartment. Please notice the tennis court on the roof of the building in front of the Renting building. A bit cold now for a quick set, but what fun to watch a match. I will hope to do so some time in the future. Hopefully she will be back in Minnesota some time soon!

The ills of the world are weighing me down today. So I will busy myself with painting, I think. Usually if I am depressed I cannot paint, but today seems to be ok. My mind is filled with the tragedies of the world. Hunger.. which it seems we no longer call by that name in the US.. but low food security. How can we possibly make language less forceful? We keep on trying. By our mad dash to make everything politically correct we reduce language to non language.

I just wanted to say hi. Hope you are having a good day. All of these no sun days get to me. Yes, I do have Seasonal Affective Disorder. I need light. Sun, where are you? Maybe tomorrow. Sigh.

Oh Happy Day

November 15 is my husband's birthday. In Brazil it was also a special holiday. As a result, everyone was off work and would come to celebrate his birthday. I became expert at entertaining in my offbeat imitation of Brazil style. As I didn't have family and my hired girl also took the day off, it being a holiday, afterall, I was left to entertain as best I could. At that time in Brazil no one used either paper plates or cups. Everyone was to be entertained at a sit-down table in the dining room on china. Both sweets and sandwiches were required. As one year we had over 75 guests, I was put through my paces! I made a wonderful rich tort from devil's food cake (we had to take care not to mention that name, or no one would have eaten it!) and butter cream frosting. Layer after rich layer. And endless open face sandwiches, and coffee and pop and other goodies. EVerything produced by yours truly.

I learned how to wash dishes in a flash which was interesting as the spigot in the sink was only three inches from the bottom of the sink so you could not fill a pan there, you had to go to the bathtub spigot. No hot water, either, so you had to heat it in a tea kettle. I could wash more dishes with less water than seems possible now. All the time being extremely jolly in a language I had to work to understand not only speak.

It left me with an extreme appreciation of what is possible for me do if Iampushed to it. It also left me with an aversion to entertaining. I suppose I could still do it if I was pushed to, but I really don't find it one of my favorite things.

We are planning a quiet day. We will meander to Alexandria, perhaps. Happy Birthday!

Hi Ho

Technology is strange and wonderful. At the present moment the woman in this picture is in Africa and the man is in Minnesota. This was our farewell get together. Now, she can look at the picture via the internet and remember the day, and we can do the same. A wonderful type of connection which can occur so quickly. Years ago when we were in Brazil, the connections with home were tenuous at best. A long awaited letter with news that was long out of date. Or a phone call by radio phone that was garbled but wonderful. Just to hear a beloved voice was great. Now we have cell phones and the internet. Makes the long distances more bearable. We were gone for five years althogether.

Oh, well, she isn't gone for years, only a few months. But I am lonesome today! Hats off, dear daughter. I would love an actual hug, but soon it will be possible in actuality. Take care and have a good Saturday! Hopefully the rest of the week will be good, too!

I will be sitting at our local art gallery today. There is a wonderful display of the art of Phyllis Joos (pronounced Joe ss). 10 to 2. Stop in to view the art and chat with me! I look forward to it. Our gallery is fantabulous. OK, Karen l, is that a made up word or not? Hmmmm?

Upbeat Friday

I know I was always thrilled that it was Friday when I was a working person. The weekend. And then I would get migraine headaches on Saturday. It took me a long time to figure that out, but I finally did. On Saturdays I was without the already decided schedule that work imposed on me. I had to face the endless decisions of time at home. Should I do this or that? Which of the endless tasks should I tackle first? Oofta.

I should have learned my lesson and made more lists, but sadly I am still one of those persons who can't decide what task to begin first. At least I don't get migraines any more. Knock on wood! (Where did that superstitious idea come from? Anybody know!)

I had a down day yesterday. We had our flu shots on Wednesday, and Wednesday night I started feeling the chills. All day Thursday I had a slight case of chills, but today I feel fine. I suppose a flu shot could have that effect, but if it keeps me from having the full blown deal, I'll take that any day. Get your flu shots!

So today I am fit as a fiddle and ready for the gym. Off I go. Take care!

Whatever....

I hit the wrong button and the last blog was posted as I was trying to edit it. I was going to say that Fran was in Chardon, Ohio, wallowing in family. She is getting to see her great grandchild Phoebe who is now two. And, then, of course, the rest of the family. For some reason, the stars are always those who are youngest. I suppose it is our eternal hope that the newest members of our tribe will have a successful life, and their way looks the least cluttered up yet with baggage.

The rest of us have had our chances.. bungled some and succeeded in others, and now this new person has new options. We always hope the very best for them! Yeah!

Okay. I'll sign off. I have no idea how this will look. Oh, well. Onward and upward. Take care.

Fran

Voting is over. Everything is shaken up. And then the amazing thing. Life goes on. Stuff gets reorganized. We take deep breaths and decide how we should proceed next. Great!!!!!

I remember how surprised the Brazilians were that we didn't have a military coup when Nixon was ousted. How come he didn't just take over the government? It hadn't even come into my mind that such a thing might happen. It just isn't the American way! As misguided as any leaders might be, they don't seem to question those basic underlying democratic guidelines. Once the people have spoken, we have to run with it. True, there seem to have been skulduggeries at the voting booths occasionally, but when push definitely comes to shove, the people speak and the leaders listen. Now, let the games begin!!!!!!!!!! We should begin to see the new look of the new skulduggeries! Oofta.

Answer the Phone!

Yes, this is me. I have had a haircut since this picture was taken in Fran's new place, but I want to talk to you. Yes, you.

Today is voting day. So be sure to vote if you can.

Today is living day. So live it to it's most awesome potential. Remember that life is fleeting, especially to someone who is already 76 years old (me) so I must savor each day. But you should savor it, too, no matter what your age. Remember that we all have a limited shelf life that will sooner or later expire. Each experience should contribute to the life of the planet, the welfare of its inhabitants, and our own happiness. We all have one thing in common. We are not going to last indefinitely on this planet. Time is awasting.

I believe that God is the only one who is going to be there for me in this life and into the next, and God is good. He/She is the anchor of my existence. There is a hymn which says, "all else is shifting sand." So be sure to vote. Be sure to live. Do everything you can to live life to the fullest. But do realize it is transitory in nature.

Okay. You're sick of my little sermon for today. I'll soon hang up the phone and head up to Battle Lake for a board meeting of Art of the Lakes. Later, I will vote. Perhaps I will paint. God willing and the creek don't rise. Take care.

costume

This is our grandson in his halloween costume. I hope you are suitably scared. He's a character from the XMan comic, Werewolf or some such. I was interested in my trying to access the picture from my cache of pictures. I wrote "halloween 1" which was the title of the picture, but the computer kept telling me that was an error. When I typed the title in the cache, I had typed "holloween 1" so the computer would not access it for me. It shows once again the difference between a person and a computer. A person would have recognized that it was a spelling error and given me the correct picture, but a machine couldn't do that... YET. Give the computers time and they will rule the world.

George went hunting deer today, but they had no success. Nevertheless, he is very tired. I can hear him snoring in the other room. I think his enjoyment of deer hunting (if he ever did enjoy it) is disappearing fast. He misses son John being with him.

Have a good one.

abracadabra

I think this building is so much fun. It is an entire building of mirrors and reflects what is around it. There are a few windows way to the left, but otherwise the building is windowless. I good way to give interest to an otherwise boxlike shape.

As you have guessed, this building is just behind the church and is also visible from Fran's windows.

We did a few errands this morning in Alex and then came back to Mac's Diner for lunch. We are experimenting with senior meals. We have attended twice now and find it very satisfactory. Usually we haven't done it because I could never remember to call ahead of time. Now we do not have to do that, so I presume we will do it now and then. The fellowship is fun and the food is good. What else does a person want?

I was sceptical because i have to watch my diet. I am diabetic and I manage to control the diabetes with no medication, only with watching what I eat. I was sceptical of the choices I would have as carbs run rampant, usually, in these deals. So far so good. We'll see how it goes.

This afternoon I will paint. I will, iwill, iwill, iwill. Yes, I will.

Here we go again!

Okay. This is the view from Fran's window of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. All she has to do is hop out the window with a parachute... or just climb down on a rope ladder and hop across the street. Luckily she has an elevator at her disposal.

As you can see it is a huge church that stretches the entire block. The towers on the far side are cut off a bit, but that part is the original church and then it just grew. Awesome.

We went to choir practise last night. Nice to get back to my routine. We have been joined by some other singers, and the group is a respectable size again. I think choir practise is the most fun thing. Sing away with abandon. It is fun to sing at church services, too, but we have lots of fun and jokes at practise. We kid around and give each other a hard time. Great. Of course, the size of our choir is minute compared to the size of the choir at Fran's Presbyterian church. I'm sure they had more than 100 singers (close to 200) and a fantabulous pipe organ. Just imagine all of the Christian churches around the world... and all of the people singing praise to God. Large or small. Rural or Urban. Wow. (By the way, should it be practise or practice?) Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Flakes of snow here today. Harbinger of those to come. Hopefully it will wait a bit. Another picture tomorrow, if the machinery permits! Take care.

Fun visit!

Several things astonished me about the trip to see Fran. One was that my driving was so flawless. I didn't take a single wrong turn the whole trip. I mean, can you imagine? Having a map is wonderful, and then Fran does live in a very accessible spot. When we went to the Mpls Institute of Art, it was just a few blocks away and I knew the area as Naomi lived just across from the Institute for a couple of years, so I knew where to park.

I drove out and caught I94 with no problem, too. I was really pumped. Now that I have bragged so much, the next time I try will no doubt be a disaster! Pride goeth etc, etc.

We had a wonderful time ... Talked non stop as usual, and Morgan came over and we did some stores. We had a great time!

Fran's new place has six HUGE windows. The views out the windows are fun. They aren't quite as nice as the views from the old place, but those will soon be blocked by a new high rise, so she's just getting a jump on that! Here are a few views:

Well... disappointed once again. I'll try again tomorrow.

Good to be home. Met George at Mac's Diner for lunch when I got back. Fun.