Thelma

My friend Thelma has passed on. Thelma was a great friend and a voice of love and happiness in my life. She held on until her 104th birthday which was on the 26th of August and passed away on Wednesday the 29th.
I will miss her voice and her stories, but I will never forget her.

She rests.

It's back to work again. I will be posting more work in between taking care of the wee one, exercising, and taking care of our home and making healthy food for all of us to eat.



I'm also anxious to start some new paintings. There is so much inspiration.

Etsy Store is Open

I did it! I did it!
I've got three images up and I'm so excited! Will be posting a new image everyday. It's late and I'm ready for some shut eye.

It's Cool! I Can Dig It!

The day is cooler. So I will be putting up images of artwork to sell on Etsy today.

The Gorilla is at a baseball card show enjoying an early Birthday gift from me. This is what he wanted and I was happy to give him $$$ to get whaever he liked. He does this for me on my birthdays, except I get to go to Blick's Art Supplies. I have a wonderful time choosing colors or media I've never used before. He is in his element and having a great time!

My Strita is taking her nap and it's a nice break for me. This cool day is a respite from the dizzying summer heat. It's difficult for me to think straight when it is hot. I can feel the wires shorting in my brain when it gets too warm. Zzzzzt!

Keep on trudging!

Feeling a bit tired, but I'm managing to get things done. A wee bit at a time.
Sorry, but this heat is just making me drag. I have been working on my info and images for the Etsy store in small spurts of time. Right now it feels like I'm trudging the road of happy destiny. I'm eager to see some cold cloudy days! I am literally counting the days.
Still doing my post-pregnancy pilates and that helps a lot. This lady is determined to get those transverse muscles back into place.

Unexpected Delay!

I was supposed to open up my shop today, but we had change of plans. This heat is just too much and I can't do very much of anything. I'm not in a good mood and stuff happens! I'll keep you posted.

Time to Focus.

I have to start concentrating on my artwork and getting my online shop open. I've been getting shipping info and learning how to upload photos of my artwork. I can see how one can get side tracked looking at examples of how other artists put up thier info. I will open up shop on August 19.

I've been in the Etsy forum and the sellers are very helpful with questions newbies may have.

Media: gouache and ink

Anniversary Portraits.

This is what I've been working on for the past three weeks. It was a nice change from my animal pieces. It's nice to know that I can still do portraits.

With a little help from my nephew.

Thank you Manny for showing me how to load a photo on my header!
What do you think?
I am so lucky to have my nephew to give me a little help when I finally ask.
I'm trying to get him to post his photos in a blog so we can all see his work. I'll keep encouraging you!

Hi MaryLou! (Nice picture of you two.)

"Hope Abides"

Hope abides; therefore I abide.
Countless frustrations have not cowed me.
I am still alive, vibrant with life.
The black cloud will disappear,
The morning sun will appear once again
In all its supernal glory.

-Sri Chinmoy

"Hope" is the Thing with Feathers

"Hope" is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land
And on the strangest sea,
Yet never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

-Emily Dickinson

"Hope"

Engraving by Sebald Beham

Self-Pity

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drip frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.

-David Herbert Lawrence

"Pity"

Painting by William Blake

I say.....Do not pity a quitter.

I'm finished!

I'm finally done with the project that took me about three weeks to complete. I will be posting a photo of it when I get it to the new owner.

Now, I've got to get back to my Etsy project. I had to put that on hold and I hope to have some prints up for sale by the end of this weekend.

There's no "points" in baseball!

Everyone is asleep and I've got a few minutes to myself.

We went to the Dodger game today. My Itty Bitty's first game. She will be going again because she was a real sport. l have a feeling she's going to be a big Dodger fan - just like her Da!

As for me, I'm still learning. In baseball they don't make "points". Sigh....I try to be a part of, but I'd better stick to what I know.
I'll leave the sports to the Gorilla. We had a great time and it's nice to have a silverback who enjoys baseball.

I do know that Barry Bonds did not get a home run tonight and he's in the San Francisco Giants. Awww! San Francisco! I love that little city by the sea.