Sharlette White's Blessings

Note to Friends

2011-12-08T23:39:00.001-06:00

Just a note to tell you all that I have been on vacation and helping my daughter. I am so tied up with her lately I haven't had time for much painting or drawing. I'm taking my granddaughters home tomorrow for the weekend and cross your fingers, I hope to get back to painting on Monday! LOL see you all then with something to post!

Back To The Drawing Board

2011-11-16T00:19:00.004-06:00

I know you have heard the saying back to the drawing board, well that is exactly what I'm doing, drawing! When I was in high school, our instructor gave us a grade each semester for keeping a sketchbook. I literally Aced that project. I drew my classmates, teachers, desks, tables, books, trees outside, but very rarely took the notes for class!

I have been reading Edgar Payne's Outsde Composition. Here is an exerpt on how cave men started out:

Long before houses were built, primitive man not only sought to express himself pictorially, but realized also the need for receptive appreciation. Therefore he left visible records on the walls of caves and in the sheltered crevices of cliffs. In his relaxation from struggles with wild animals and his enemies, the prehistoric artist responded to natural instincts which called for needs beyond shelter and sustenance. With his crude tools and limited knowledge, he had ample opportunity to exercise his ingenuity; and so in order to better his expression he set about devising new tools and other innovations. He sought orchres and carbons to fill in his crude outline drawings, then soon began to practice simple shading, modeling and relating objects.

At first the early pictorialist knew little of organization or combining several ideas to express a larger one and usually depicted one item for each idea. Later he found that by relating the objects drawn, broader ideas could be revealed. If a wild boar, deer or buffalo were pictured, each carried the idea of that animal, but if a man with a spear were added, the relation produced broader significance. Combining several items to convey a message then became, probably one of the first general principles in art. As time went on other elementary factors were developed.

Through the ages, subsequent artists kept up the progression by new ideas, new principles and new modes of expression thus the institution of art has been maintained by virtue of the talent, innovations and accomplishments of all contributing artists.(taken from Composition of Outdoor Painting, Edgar Payne.)

This book should be a must in every artists library. He gives you the tools for good composition in your painting. Here is a list of the principle forms or stems of composition in his book:

The Steelyard, The Balance Scale, The Circle or O, The S or Compound Curve, The Pyramid or Triangle, The Cross, The Radiating Line, The Ell or Rectangular, The Suspended Steelyard, The Three Spot, The Group Mass, The Diagonal Line, The Tunnel, The Silhouette, The Pattern. Now if you want to know what each one means, LOL you'll have to check out his book at a local library or purchase it from Amazon.com.

When looking this book up on Amazon, I know one of the distributors to be reputable. It is Wilcox Gallery. This gallery belongs to Jim Wilcox, who I might add designed the outdoor Soltek easel. He is a very good artist in his own right and you will enjoy reading up on him. Check out his gallery at www.wilcoxgallery.com.

Everything I have painted today looks like POOP!

2011-11-08T17:43:00.003-06:00

FYI:
Due to the different Blogs I have been reading about pirating and publicly calling those artists out by name. I want to point out that this pansy painting is from an online class I am taking with Dan Edmondson. And if I forget to point that out when posting those class projects I will apologize right now.

I have had the crappiest 2 days in painting. I can't seem to do anything right. I am just wondering why I am doing this! I thought it was suppose to relaxing. Today, I just decided to clean the brushes and walk away for awhile. I am so frustrated I don't know how to get out of this slump. Everything goes to mud. It starts out good, then when I try to paint wet on wet it goes down hill from there. Maybe I'm just not a wet on wet painter. Maybe I need to paint in Acrylics for awhile. Tap Tap Tap, is this thing on? Does anyone have any suggestions? Probably not, because I'm an unknown! For a reason! LOL

This is how it started... then it just went down hilll

This is what it looks like now:

Basically, the flowers got worse so I proceeded to wipe them out, then all the detail you see on the bowl got smeared with the paper towel and then it was over.. I totally had to wipe out the background the detail on the bowl.

And another mud

Thank you for letting me get this frustration out of my system , computer. Because this evening I just want to throw everything away or sell it one and go to my room and cry! It is frustrating and if I ever figure it out, it will be in this blog and I will be able to go back and laugh at this someday. Maybe...

Off to bed!

Magnificent Vision Show at the Philbrook

2011-11-01T02:17:00.005-05:00

Sunday before I came home I managed to go by the Philbrook museum and see this show. I have posted some of the paintings that were there for you to enjoy. It was a good showing, not many of the big name artists that you hear about everyday and are familiar with, but gifted artists for sure. If you get the opportunity to see this show, do so. I loved the way the different artists painted the jewelry on their subjects, especially pearls. They were painted like grapes. Highlite, midtone, and shadow. I was fascinated with The highlites in the shimmery fabrics and the softness in the velvets. I wrote down every artist and the painting in the show so I could look them up again. I started posting them for you, then it was taking too much time so you have a teaser! LOL enjoy

Dutch Artist Jan de Bray
A Couple Represented as Ulysses and Penelope, 1668
oil on canvas, 109.9 x 165.1 cm (43 1/4 x 65);
139.7 x 195.6 x 12.7 cm (55 x 77 x 5)
Collection of The Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky

Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyke
Portrait of a Woman 1635

Rembrandt Harmensz Van Rijn
Portrait of a 40 Year Old Woman Marretje Cornelisdr Van Grotewal

Herbert Drouais
Portrait of Scuptor Robert Le Lorraine 1730

William Hogarth
Dudley Woodbridge in his Chambers 1730

No Photo Available

Marie Victoire Lemoine
Portrait of a Young Girl 18th Century

Marie Victoire Lemoine
Portrait of a Lady 1790

Adelaide Labille Guiard
Portrait of Madame Adelaide of France

A closer view

The Philbrook has a nice collection of Thomas Moran's work also and I always love to see them. One thing I like about this museum, you can look as close as you want, Just Don't Touch! So I did! Hope no one does a painting of me with my head up so close to a painting looking like a fool! LOL

Well night all, I'm going to try to get at the easel tomorrow!

What color on your pallette do you love most?

2011-10-30T10:27:00.002-05:00

This is a link to an article by Stephen Dorherty editor in chief for Artist Daily several artists have commented and suggested some colors I haven't even heard of. It's an older article, but older is sometimes BETTER!

I receive this Painting guide and love to research the different articles posted on this site, but today I came upon this link and since we have been talking about artist's pallettes, I thought this might be interesting to those of us who LOVE color.

People you are going to love this link:

What color on your pallette do you love most

While surfing through the links on this site, I found this art contest:

Self Portrait Contest

How many brave souls are there out there that would enter this contest? Hmmm not me, I dont think I'm that interesting to look at, wait, could I do a self portrait of what I would WANT TO LOOK LIKE?

Have a Wonderful Sunday, I'm going home today, ready to start doing some painting, but first I'm going to stop by the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, OK, and see a new show they have called The Magnificent Vision. I'm hoping the paintings from the European Masters will inspire me to the depths of finding my niche in this fabulous world of color!

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An Unknown Hero of Sorts

2011-10-27T20:07:00.004-05:00

Have you ever wondered about the artists that painted all the Indian Chiefs? Well this post is about one that I became familiar with because he was a cousin of a very close friend. They have some of his Conte crayon drawings as well as the baskets that were given to him by the members of the tribes he would go and paint.

E.A. Burbank led a very interesting life and I have enjoyed reading about his committment to what he did and how he befriended the chiefs. He is the only known artist to have painted Geronimo in a live sitting.

The following are some of his portraits that he did through the years.

E. A. Burbank, Pog-Ah-Ninnie-Ah-Ey (Santa Clara), 1909, Conte Crayon on Paper, 14" x 9"

Elbridge Ayer Burbank was born in Harvard, IL in 1858. After studying at the Chicago Art Academy, he received a commission to illustrate Northwest magazine, essentially an advertisement published to encourage homesteading. The traveling entailed in finishing this commission brought Burbank through Montana, Idaho and Washington, and fostered a profound appreciation for the American West in him.

E. A. Burbank, Mission San Juan Capistrano of California, Circa 1895-1900, Oil on Canvas on Board, 4" x 6"

After the completion of the Northwest project, E. A. Burbank went to Munich to study, where he met J.H. Sharp and William R. Leigh, who would remain lifelong friends. As did countless other artists who met Sharp, E. A. Burbank became focused on traveling and painting the Indian people of the Southwest. When he returned from Germany, he was hired by his uncle, Edward Ayer, the first president of the Field Columbian Museum, to paint portraits of the great Indian leaders of the day. Elbridge A. Burbank took on the project and, once completed, did not stop, continuously traveling around the country painting as many Indian subjects as he could.

E. A. Burbank, Rain in the Face Sioux - 1897 Conte Crayon on Paper, 14" x 9"

All told, E. A. Burbank painted over 1200 Indian portraits in his lifetime. His travels put him in contact with some of the prominent figures of the West, including Lorenzo Hubbell, who he counted amongst his better friends, and Geronimo, whose portrait he painted and who is rumored to have said that he liked Burbank better than any other white man he ever met. Today, E. A. Burbank's work can be seen in the collections of the Newberry Library in Chicago, the Smithsonian and the Field Museum. After almost twenty years spent in insane asylums, Elbridge Ayer Burbank died in 1949 of injuries sustained from being struck by a cable car in downtown San Francisco.

E. A. Burbank, Taos Indian Village, Oil on Canvas on Board, 4" x 6

Red Woman Southern Cheyene

Chief Geronimo Apache

Zy-you-wah-moqui

Gi-aum-E-Hon-O-Me-Tah, Kiowa

Si-We-Ka, Pueblo

Since I'm not able to paint because I'm helping my daughter. I thought I would posts some interesting stories about some of the artists that may or may not be well known, but have an interesting past.

My daughter just had a baby about 4 weeks ago and then came down with a bug so I came back to help her out. Poor thing, I'm so thankful I've been able to help out. Except yesterday my back gave out on me and I now I am in terrible pain. But it will pass when I'm able to let it rest a bit. I had back surgery about 10 years ago and while it is better than it was, I cant over do it or I get down. I also have to be careful not to rupture the discs above the one that was fused. Gosh I wouldn't wish this mess on my worst enemy if I had an enemy! LOL this is why I posted about Freda Kaylo the other day. I can relate how art saved her at her lowest points. For a short time you are so involved in creating something beautiful, you hope, that you forget about the pain.

More interesting facts and paintings by Elbridge Ayers Burbank:
His commitment

Just Google E.A. Burbank and you will find more on this interesting fellow.

Additional Art Links:
ArtUFind.com
ArtUTrade.com
MedicineManGallery.com
SantaFeArtGalleries.net
CanyonRoadArts.com
TaosArtGalleries.net
AlbuquerqueArtGalleries.net

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Zorn Pallette

2011-10-24T03:13:00.002-05:00

I have been visiting with another blogger about a workshop I had taken several years ago. The theory behind the class was to use a limited pallette of four colors for portrait painting. Well as I was going through other blogs I follow, I found another artist who had just given a workshop on this same theory.

I decided to research this theory and found a wonderful artists who gives credit where credit is due. It is called the Zorn Pallette and the following is a copy of the article, but I wanted to credit the artist that gave me all the information on this pallette.

Please check out his site, it is a wealth of information:

Westerberg-Fine Art

The following is Westerberg's observation and thoughts on this pallette:

Zorn Palette (color chart)

This is a color Chart I made using the “Zorn Palette”. This was not Anders Zorn’s ( 1860-1920) only palette he did have other colors that he used especially when he worked outside, this palette refers primarily to his indoor work. It is basically simplified primaries: Red, Yellow, and Blue.

I use Gamblin Ivory Black, Utrecht Yellow Ochre, Windsor Newton Cadmium Red and Titanium/Zinc White.

The Chart shows the range of the palette as you can see it is fairly large. Let me explain how the colors are laid out.

The first swatch (upper left corner) is Ivory Black, and below I have gradated it white white. Next to that is Ivory Black mixed with Cad Red, Black being the dominate color. Ect ect ect….

Below are examples of Anders Zorn’s Work.

I used this palette quite a bit when I was learning to paint and I still use it today. Its a great starter palette.

Below are the brands of paint I typically use.

Anders Leonard Zorn (February 18, 1860 – August 22, 1920)
Biography of Anders Zorn

Just thought I would share this tidbit. I am trying to educate myself as I go through this journey of getting my gift back. I am very excited about this and I think I will do some paintings using this theory. I will say right now though, I love color and dont see myself doing everything with these colors...

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Study of some of Monet's paintings

2011-10-23T20:38:00.003-05:00

Today I thought I would follow another artist's footsteps that I follow Art Talk by Julie Ford Oliver . She did a series of studies from some of the old Master's paintings. I think she did a wonderful job. Her objective is to learn as much as she can from them. My objective is to learn period! I started out working on grass and leaves, from Monet's Water Lilies

then took an old painting I had started from an on-line class with Morgan Samuel Price, and tried to finish them.

Then, this morning I woke up and remembered where the ROOSTER WAS! I had set him on an the ledge of an old upright cedar chest. Imagine who would have thought. The gremlins didn't take him, but they still haven't told me where the paint I bought is located!

I reworked Mr. Rooster's background, and the color's just aren't showing up exactly in my photo's. That really isn't gray in his coat. It is more of an orchid! LOL Maybe that is a hint that I need to change it! God forbid I become famous and they take a picture of it for books etc. and that gray shows up on his back! LOL

My reference Photo

All in all I think I had a pretty productive day. At least I can say I am learning something, haven't quite put my finger on it yet, but when I think of it I'll share it.

Where oh Where

2011-10-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

I have the craziest story to tell. I painted this painting today

from this photo of a friend's rooster

Now here is the crazy part. I came in the house to load the photos I took of the paintings, took a nap started supper then went to the garage to touch up the rooster. The painting is gone! Flew the coop! My husband and I looked that garage over and it is no where to be found. Now mind you I can not understand why anyone would come in my garage and steal it. But I have been having some crazy things happen lately that are missing that all pertain to my art room. I bought two new colors the other day and a spray bottle from Hobby Lobby! Not in the garage studio. Then I misplaced I thought my ATM card, no where to be found, had to cancel! This is getting crazier. I'm just glad I had shown my husband the painting and then taken a picture so someone knows it really did exist. I'm beginning to think maybe I'm smelling to many fumes except that the garage is very well ventilated, garage door open, windows open fans blowing etc. I just don't know what happened, have I put it somewhere, likely, but unlikely.

I also finished up my watermelon painting out there today. If someone were stealing you would think they would have taken that painting. I had forgotten to put the most important thing on the watermelon, the seeds and I added some leaves on the left, lightened the vase and reworked the plums and grapes on right side of painting. I am very proud of this one thinking there might possibly be hope for me! One in 10 paintings. I'm hoping for more....LOL

Here are a few paintings I did when I studied with Christine Verner, from McAlester, OK. She has such an understanding of color. I wish I knew everything she knows about color, but I'm learning.

I love the red's in these poppies. I totally loved working with cad red and cad orange in this painting

this is another painting I did while in her class. I love painting the darker skin people and I am still working on another painting. Their skin has so many beautiful colors.

I'm still a work in progress and I am hoping to find my niche someday on where I want to settle. Right now I am all over the place to the point I am thinking about embarking on single item paintings for awhile until I can get a better understanding of shapes, values and color.

Painting Through Pain

2011-10-22T02:49:00.003-05:00

Painting Through Pain

Freda Kaylo is amongst the most famous artists of the twentieth century. Her strength of spirit and artistic talents helped forge her destiny. She mixed and mingled with the rich and powerful and the poor and destitute. She lived a life in chronic pain. She was. She is. Frida Kahlo.

Frida was born in Coyocan, Mexico to Wilhem (Guillermo) and Matilde Kahlo in July of 1907. Her father, a photographer and amateur painter, built a home for his family there that now houses her work. It is painted a cheerful bright blue color, and is known as La Casa Azul. At the young age of 6, Frida contracted polio and was bedridden for nine months. As a result of this illness, Frida was called “Peg Leg” by her peers; this unkind term though, did not demure the spirited youngster, it encouraged her to get stronger in sports and in life.

Being the precocious child she was, Frida enrolled in the renowned National Preparatory School in Mexico City. Here, she developed a love of her Mexican culture, its traditions, and its colorful costumes and jewelry. She also developed her political and ideological ideals which eventually led to her membership in the Mexican Communist party and the Young Communist League. It was also the place that she met her future husband, renowned Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera. Membership in the political clubs also went on to form her future on the international stage, as she hosted Leon Trotsky in her home and espoused his ideals.

In 1925 Frida was involved in a devastating bus accident that left her with fractures all over much of her body, including her spine and pelvis. It took a lifetime of surgeries and pain to recover from this accident, but it was this tragedy that unleashed her surreal painting style that would make her famous.

During her lifetime, Frida mainly painted self portraits because, as she stated, “I am the person I know best.” Her paintings transcend the macabre to the beautiful and tell of events in her life as well as the thoughts flowing through her mind. In her work, we are able to learn of her pain, her suffering, her love, and her hope. Painting was something she could do standing up, but more importantly, laying down in her bed. She used art as a means to escape her physical body, even if for short bursts of time. Her canvas was truly her voice, one that is still heard throughout the world. She was. She is. Frida Kahlo.

I can relate to her pain. I had back surgey several years go and have titanium cages supporting my spine where a disc use to be! They are called ray cages. My back doesn't hurt as bad as it did before the surgery, but when the weather changes I can sure let you know.

Just thought I'd share this story today. You might look upmsome of Freda's paintings. They are very colorful and true to her heritage.

Check out this website dedicated to Freda Kaylo:
Fans of Freda Kaylo
Courtesy Belief Network.

Since I didn't get to paint these past few days, that doesn't mean I wasn't studying. I visited so many artists blogs that I ended up following them and posting their blogs on mine. Check out these artists blogs, they have so much to offer and learn from. Living in a small town I don't get to take lessons or go to classes that often, but I learn from other artists. They inspire and motivate me. I can't wait for morning to come and get started! I hope to have some paintings to post for you to enjoy tomorrow!

I posted this painting of her Watermelons. Maybe I need to go back and work on mine a little!

Freda's:

Mine: LOL as if you wouldn't know that

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Finally Home and Ready to Paint

2011-10-17T20:33:00.003-05:00

Well I finally made it home after two and a half weeks taking care of my daughter , the girls and the new grandbaby. So today I hit the makeshift studio in the garage and started finishing up some paintings I started before I left.

As I said in an earlier post, I am taking some on line courses with Dan Edmondson and the last lesson I was working on was giving me fits. So the vacation from the painting seems to have paid off because I got back into it today. I have sent it in for a critique and we'll see what the recommendations are and the final in a few days.

I also have been working on a plein air piece of a spot in my friends garden. She works in her yard every year and adds to it. I must say it is beautiful. I love her yard. They live on a farm outside of town and he raises cattle on the side.

I really need to start working on distance in my landscape paintings. I am having a hard time with the background looking like its in the background. I need to get out more and work on this. Any suggestions from you would be mucho appreciated. Maybe with the weather cooling off I'll be able to do that. I know everything comes with practice and that is what I need more of. The coloring didn't come out very good from my camera I'm going to try retaking that tomorrow under better lighting.
Oh well, not bad for a beginning back intermediate artist! LOL

Repost of Fall Pears

2011-10-04T22:50:00.001-05:00

I redid the background on these Fall Pears and I like it much better

Old

New
I warmed up the pear on this one and toned down the grapes some.

And I reworked this one as well

On this one I straightened the table and changed the dish the blue grapes are in.

I cannot wait to get back to painting, but my present job of helping my daughter is much more rewarding. These girls make me smile every morning and every night. The two year old is up right now because she took a late nap and is doing everything to keep from going to sleep. Her daddy has put her back to bed at least 10 times...
She sneaks around the corner and just smiles and runs past my door to her parents bedroom.

This is little Sophia

Who could say no to that face?

I guess if I cant blog about painting I can blog about them.

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No time to Paint

2011-10-04T20:57:00.001-05:00

I have been so busy with my two little granddaughters that I havent had time to paint! Their new brother was born on September 28, and weighed 7 Lbs 8oz, 20 in long. This Mimi is busy for another week at least! Here's the new grandson

And another with my daughter

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My first Buffalo Painting

2011-09-19T17:34:00.001-05:00

This is my first attempt at the buffalo from my Tall Grass Prairie drive last week. Hopefully I'll get better!

The paint is still to wet to get more detail and shape on the buffalo, but I'm liking the beginning.

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Practice

2011-09-18T14:42:00.002-05:00

I have been practicing like crazy and taking this opportunity before Baby Nacho, grand baby #3, arrives on September 28. I know this because you ask? Because we do C sections.

Daniel sent me a photo of this still life to practice on. When I looked at it I thought it would be too hard, but it ended up being easier than I thought. I have such a tendency to overwork paintings and while I know I did that to this one, I really liked the way the flowers turned out. I was very loose with them and just dabbed the different values of yellow in order to get the effect of a snap dragon.

Here's the final product

I also set up a Still Life of tomatoes. The background isn't really this light, it's more of a golden yellow.

Now I am off to find something else to paint. Possibly the picture of the buffalo I took on the Tall grass Prairie drive.

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My Rookie Painter Challenge

2011-09-17T02:20:00.000-05:00

Somebody likes Onions on this blog and so do I.

Here's my rendition of their posted challenge

Lesson 2 with Daniel Edmonson

2011-09-15T15:59:00.003-05:00

I've been busy this week and haven't been able to post. I'm in Pawhuska and trying to get some things done up here before winter and before the new baby gets here.

I did manage to get a painting done this week, and I am starting on another after this post.

the pic didn't come out that well and I still have some changes to make to it after its been critiqued by the man himself.

While here this week I have done some fun things. Saturday I brought the girls to Pawhuska with me and we went to the Pawhuska County Fair. They had a ball on the Jumpers.

Then we came to the house and they played outside on one of their old slides they've had forever.

so, as you can see, I have had a fun filled week.

Monday I decided to take a drive out to see the Tall Grass Prairie. That was fun as well here are a few pics I took on the 20+ mile drive:

Doesn't this dead tree look like a Kokopelli?

The shadow you see is nothing paranormal, only a smeared dead bug on the windshield!

Check out the mom and baby, this was a surprise, I had pulled up to a bridge and got out to take pics of the stream. I didn't see these guys until I saw something move in my camera so I zoomed in as best I could.

Here was an interesting truck. A pic for a possible future painting.

And how about some of the wild Mustangs that some of the cattle ranchers are housing for the Government. They are very spooky so they were about to break and run.

Hope you enjoyed my trip to Osage County and the pics I took on the Tall Grass Prairie. It is so dry its not that pretty, but you get an idea of the vastness and what they have to offer.

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Location:Pawhuska,United States

Carol Marine loses home!

2011-09-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

I was just reading my email and found that a wonderful artist I follow, has lost her home in Austin. They had only a few minutes notice to try and retrieve what she could. Please remember everyone who has lost their homes in this fire.

Check out Carol Marine's link to the right in Blogs I Follow.

Help for our Good Friends

Karin Jurick posted this link on her site. It is a friend's account of what happened at the time of evacuation:

Hi everyone,
Carol and David and their 6 yr. old son Jacob lost their home in a terrifying fire yesterday out near Bastrop. Their entire subdivision was wiped out (up to 300 homes) and the fire is still spreading – it’s currently 16 miles long, 6 miles wide, has covered over 30,000 acres and is moving south towards another town. Today’s forecast of more high winds is bad news for surrounding areas. [UPDATE: A neighbor confirmed late Monday afternoon that nothing of their home survived. It's just dirt and ashes.]
They lived in a cute, little house in the middle of a beautiful pine forest, which is kind of an aberration in Texas. Rolling hills, tall towering trees, orange pine needles everywhere on the ground. All of which made for a lot of tinder, due to an extreme drought and the highest temperatures ever recorded in the state for August.
Here’s an older picture of their house right after they bought it, before they added on a woodshop and studio for Carol. Jacob is a bit bigger now:

My 16 yr. old daughter Maddie and I were visiting them, along with two of Carol’s friends, Karen and Randi. We were sitting around their big table, swimming in beading supplies, laughing, talking–when a neighbor came over and told us we had to leave right away.
At first, Karen and I went out to the backyard to see and were making jokes about how David had paid off a neighbor to say that, just to get all these crazy women out of his house. We couldn’t see anything over the tall trees. Then Randi went out front and we heard her saying, “Oh my god. Oh my god!”
When we stood in the front street, we could see huge clouds of billowing smoke. There wasn’t even enough time for them to take more than their computers. I backed my car through their front yard and up to Carol’s studio, but we didn’t take anything more than a few small paintings of Carol’s. They lost all her art that filled their house.
Carol took their small car and David hooked up their pick-up to their camper, so luckily they have that. They’re currently in a campground and will have to decide where to go from here….
When we finally left, the smoke had changed to black and was much bigger. It was incredibly frightening. Here’s a video that someone shot on YouTube:

They had good insurance, but it will take time for that to all kick in, so I’d like to help them in the meantime.
Please consider making a donation below to help them get back on their feet.

.
It’s true, the most important thing is that they’re safe. They are my family and I love them all dearly. But my heart aches for everything they lost – all the mementos, all the memories, their sense of sanctuary.
Thanks for your help. And please say prayers for everyone that lost their house, dear pets, or is still in harm’s way.
With love,

~ Thank you all

Day 4 of painting

2011-09-02T17:30:00.001-05:00

Still working on this little jewel, leaving it on the easel for a couple of weeks and will come back to it..

Going on another road trip for a few weeks, but I have taken my paints with me so will see what I get done.

Practice

2011-09-02T16:29:00.001-05:00

I have been practicing like crazy and taking this opportunity before Baby Nacho, grand baby #3, arrives on September 28. I know this because you ask? Because we do C sections.

Daniel sent me a photo of this still life to practice on. When I looked at it I thought it would be too hard, but it ended up being easier than I thought. I have such a tendency to overwork paintings and while I know I did that to this one, I really liked the way the flowers turned out. I was very loose with them and just dabbed the different values of yellow in order to get the effect of a snap dragon.

Here's the final product

I also set up a Still Life with some fresh tomatoes

Well now that I've written this post for a second time we'll see if this blogger press is going to work!

Day three of painting

2011-09-01T00:45:00.001-05:00

I should have known it was going to be a bad day when I took my Dog Ace's medicine at the same time as mine! OMG I keep his antibiotic with my blood pressure mess and got side tracked and walked by my water and just popped them all and swallowed. Called the vet to see if I would surely die from a reaction to penicillin or asprin and after we all has a good laugh, and some teasing she told me I would live, but I would have to come and get Ace some more medicine!

After that I went to check on my email and low and behold the Internet was down. Nothing worse than going round and round with the cable people and they tell you it will be a week, then someone else calls you back and tells you their techs were just working on it and it's back up and running! No communication!

Thank goodness this week is almost over because it has been the week from Hades. I didn't even mention that my daughter went into early labor and had to go to the labor and delivery triage. She had gotten too hot and was dehydrated which started her contractions for 5 hours then they had to give her meds to stop the contractions.

So folks I am ready to get this week over with, go watch some Oklahoma State Football and stay at our house in Pawhuska for a few weeks! I'm taking my paints and my IPad and camera and hopefully Ace and I will get some painting done!

Here is what I was working on:

Open to critiques.

Completed first online lesson of Grapes and Orange with Dan Edmondson

2011-08-30T11:32:00.000-05:00

I think I'm happy with my first online lesson with Dan Edmondson. This was my first experience doing it this way, but I LIKE IT. I am able to work at my own pace, run errands, clean house, do laundry, fold laundry and come back in between to my lesson and painting. Wow what fun.

Here is the completed painting...

I have had nothing but trouble trying to get this photo or any photo to the blog, because the SD card drive on both my computer and printer are not working and I'm still not that familiar with the IPAD and it will allow me to type and post on my blog butit won't allow me to upload a picture on the IPAD. So I am back and forth and if I don't forget to log off the blog on the IPAD, I can't get into the blog on the computer.... AI YI YI

Even tho we have all this modern technology, sometimes it gets a little frustrating... Kind of like the frustration I get with the Julian Plein Air Easel!! Let's face it, things are just not working right for me at this time, so I humbly accept it with a smile on my face and laughter in my belly and just keep on keeping on, refusing to let these minor problems keep me from painting and posting! Whew I think I'll go take a nap after all this....

That dang stupid Julian French Easel

2011-08-28T22:52:00.006-05:00

I have a plein air easel that is driving me INSANE! I can not get the thing to work! The legs will not stay open. It's legs are like a grasshopper, only I can't figure out how to make it stand up without collapsing on me. Now I can't figure out how to close it up! I have tried on several occasions to use it and I am so mad that I have lost my religion and too mad to paint. So there it sits in my garage. Someday I hope to meet Someone who can show me how to make it work. In the mean time I just hold the canvas in my hand use a tv tray and a lawn chair and out in the country I go. If anyone reading this knows the secret to using those dang easels or knows of a video showing how they work, it would be great. As it is now I feel like a character in a cartoon, that gets eaten by a pop up tent! Grrrrrr!

I would even take suggestions from anyone who knows of an easel that I don't have to sell the birth right of my first born in order to purchase!

Online workshop with Daniel Edmondson

2011-08-28T02:19:00.001-05:00

I happened upon an artist the other night that offers weekly tips on painting. I fell in love with his techniques for one, but mainly his knowledge of color and expertise in completing a painting without getting hung up on the small stuff. We are all on the road to get better, but if you really want to get right down to it, we want to be able to look at a picture, objects or scenery and complete a painting that we feel good about and hope that others will enjoy as well.

I signed up for his online lessons and this is my attempt today at the first assignment.

I have emailed this to him and he will critique it and recommend some changes and I will post the finished painting after I make corrections... I don't like the way the table and rug are looking. I am going to rework that tomorrow.
There are 10 paintings that you complete in a session. The particular one I'm doing now is Still Life. The next one he is starting soon is Landscapes. There are 10 photos and he will do a demo of each photo and you will also have the opportunity to complete a painting as well of the photos.

Check out Dan's website and sign up for his weekly tips at http://www.oilpaintingworkshop.com/ or you can like him and follow him on Facebook Daniel Edmondson Fine Art.

"Challenge - 22" (July 18 To Aug 28) - 2011

2011-08-25T14:18:00.001-05:00

Trying to start back to painting again. Just got started and had to stop, but I am going to keep plugging away and maybe I will be able to get back into being more disciplined before its all over with.

I came upon this challenge while I was on my trip and enjoyed the fact that you get to be critiqued. I need critique! Bad! I seem to have almost forgotten everything I know. But one thing I do know is that practice makes perfect and that is why so many artists are doing the painting a day challenge.

I love to look at Karen Appleton's Blog. I use to wonder how she kept from getting bored painting presents. I mean how many times can you paint them. But as I watched her paintings progress from one to the other, I began to see how the folds of the loops should look in comparison to the other in order for the bow look as beautiful as hers do. I might add that I can see how she has progressed since I first started following her.

I like to look at each artist's blog from beginning to now and see how far they have progressed. The blogs are a wonderful way to keep up with one's progress. I just need to paint more so mine will start getting better and not look the same with each post. In other words Sharlette you need to get MO BETTER, SHARLETTE! MO BETTER!

Just a little practice on some lemons. I'm starting out simple to get back into it.

My first painting for the week of June

2011-06-01T15:12:00.000-05:00

I got the picture from The Rookie Painter. It is one of several I will be working on this week. I'm trying to be inspired and get back into painting daily. We'll see how it works since I have two trips coming up in July and August! LOL

The original is an onion sitting in cellophane

Interesting huh? After going through so many daily painter's blogs, the thing I have enjoyed most is seeing how they have evolved from the beginning til now. That is what I am trying to accomplish with these paintings to get better.

Workshop with Qiang Huang

2011-06-01T10:23:00.010-05:00

I was so excited that I got to take a workshop from Qiang Huang pronounced Chong Wong. He is an artist from Austin Texas and I have been following him for some time. I always follow these artist so I may one day inspire myself to start painting again. I dib and dabble, but have not seriously painted for sometime.

Anyway, the workshop began on Friday May 27 and ran through Sunday, May 29. Wow I learned so much. It's funny how each artist has there own colors and their own technique ALL a product of workshops and techniques they have developed on their own.

On the first day we had a morning lecture and he did a demonstation of his technique, then we set up our own still lifes and proceeded to use his method and colors. I must say his pallete is not one I have used before so it was a challenge. I am use to more colors and my own mixing. But I tried it. I don't know if I'll stick to his, but it is always fun to try new things.

Here is a photo of his first day demonstration and his set up

After the first day session we took a field trip and visited the home of Jodi Kirberger. Mrs. Kirberger had the Talisman Gallery in Bartlesville for many years. One of the featured artists that she represented was Richard Schmid. Her house was filled with his drawings and paintings that she had purchased throughout the years.

On the second day Qiang set up another still life and did another demonstration:

On the third day he gave a lecture on how to use the internet to sell your paintings and how well it has worked for him.

I was so thankful to have the opportunity to take this class. Not only did I learn some new things I also met some wonderful artist and found that we had common friends as well as some having known my parents and worked with my dad. Small world isn't it. And of course an old friend from high school was in the class, she was only able to attend one day, but it was fun renewing old acquaintances and creating new ones.

PROCRASTINATION!

2009-05-01T08:57:00.004-05:00

I have got to quit procrastinating about sitting down and doing a painting. I have everything any artist could want to get started. I know I can paint, I have the paintings to prove it. There is nothing I can't do. The thing is my areas to paint are so cluttered with my art junk and that is a lot of junk, kids clutter from college days and growing up days, hunting clutter, my son hunts and it is everywhere in his room in the garage, my paint room, my closet and every corner that is open. My life has become one big clutter and I don't know where to start. These last few years I had hurt my back then had back surgery and things just kept piling up and now I don't know where to start. I have become a pack rat and I don't know what to throw away because I have lost things and I am afraid if I throw anything away I will throw away something important that I lost. What I really need is for my kids to come help me get rid of their stuff and my stuff and then we have some things from family members who have passed on that we don't really want to get rid of. But I am getting to the point that I don't want THINGS! THINGS CLUTTER THE MIND! THINGS CLUTTER YOUR LIFE! THINGS ARE JUST, THAT, THINGS! THEY HAVE NO MEANING! THINGS ARE JUST CLUTTER! Now that I have said that I feel so much better. I just can't stop thinking about how we have had to get rid of so many things when Ralph's mom and aunt died in their homes. And how hard it was for Ralph as an only child to have to be the one to clear it all out. If anyone has any suggestions as to how to start this I would sure appreciate it. I feel like I am drowning. I can't be creative when I am consumed with despair(clutter/things)! LOL Maybe I should do a painting of my despair(clutter/things)! That would be a trip! I should do a Daily painting contest with a picture of all my clutter. That would be fun to see my clutter/things from someone else's point of view. Maybe I should hire an organizer to come organize my house and garage! Maybe I should just have an estate sale and start all over! (But keep my art supplies and husband) Oh well if anyone reads this I would sure appreciate your ideas as to where to start besides with a match!
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2ND CHANCE FOR 2ND CHANCE!

2009-04-16T08:36:00.002-05:00

I received this e-mail this morning from my co-worker about 2nd Chance! Yay! The necessary funds have been received and he will be getting his surgery as soon as he is strong enough. I'm sure that Lynn's mom will keep us updated on the success of this wonderful dog.

2nd Chance

2009-04-13T10:21:00.005-05:00

UPDATE ON 2ND CHANCE:

Dr. Phil Chitwood, a Poteau, OK vet, has quoted the surgery for 2nd Chance at $895, that is with his discount for the Humane Society. 2nd Chance is responding well to the antibiotics, food and water and lots of love and attention from volunteers. 2nd Chance can even be adopted after he has been rehabilitated. Poteau Valley Humane Society

Oh my goodness I hate it when animals are not treated with respect. I hate it when they are abused. A coworker sent me an e-mail with this photo and the following message:

This is 2nd Chance. He was brought into the humane society Saturday by one of the volunteers who found him at a ball park in AR. Notice his right hind foot which has been drug almost completely off. We don't know if this is a case of neglect, abuse, cruelty or just what has happened to him. We know that he will have to have extensive medical care and have the leg amputated when he is physically able to stand the surgery.

He has the absolute best temperament as he will let you hold the food dish while he is eating; something most starving dogs would never let anyone do. He is so grateful for the sanctuary we have provided for him. The soft bed of old comforters, the food, water and pain medicine we are giving him along with antibiotics and the kind words are surely something he has not had in a long time. He is an older dog, maybe even too old to do the surgery on, but I surely hope not. I think he deserves his 2nd Chance, don't you?

-From: Poteau Valley Humane Society
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 11:06 AM

I f anyone feels the urge to send a donation to help poor second chance please contact the Poteau Valley Humane Society at the above link and they will tell you where to send a donation.

More Shots of the Girls

2009-03-28T13:36:00.003-05:00

Well actually this pic was after Sydney's hug it just didn't come out that way on the blog LOL

More Shots of the Girls

2009-03-28T13:32:00.002-05:00

2009-03-28T13:25:00.002-05:00

Izy has never had ice cream in her life! This was her first time! I must say SHE LOVED IT. THANKS TO DADDY! And of course Lisa for shaming Natalie for not letting her enjoy the Foods that are not Good For Her! LOL She'll never be the same. Ice Cream to Izy is Gogurt!

SPRING BREAK WITH THE GIRLS

2009-03-28T13:11:00.002-05:00

Isn't she precious! She is the cutest thing. She is just getting to that cute stage and everything is fun and new!

SPRING BREAK!

2009-03-24T09:05:00.007-05:00

Fun times on Spring Break. Well I waited all day long on Lisa to get laundry done and packed on Saturday and finally at 5:00 pm we took off for Austin. Mind you it was a 7 hour drive. When she arrived we had to load my stuff and Ace's car seat. We had that Tahoe packed to the max! Middle seats: Sydney in her car seat, Ace in his car seat, Baylee in seat belt; Back seat: one seat down to hold all our belongings, and Hannah in seat belt and we're off.

Ace panting wondering what the heck is going on. Here I am in a car with a bunch of kids and two crazy women. What have I got myself into? This kid next to me is saying, "Lay down and watch Chi chi hua hua movie Ace. What the heck is a chi chi hua hua, I'm not watching some dog called a Chi chi hua hua, I am a Bichon Frise and I am a high maintenance dog I should be the star of a movie! Get me the heck out of this back seat with these kids Mama! Maybe if I wiggle and pant long enough she will let me up there in her lap.

Uh oh, here she comes with the cheese and that Benedryl. If she thinks I am going to calm down and go to sleep she has another thought coming. I will stay awake forever. She's not going to get out of my sight and leave me with all this! When are we going to get where we are going?

First stop is Sherman, everyone has got to go to the bathroom including me! Where are we? I smell Food! Oh good she is taking me in Braum's and I will get to eat! Let me be a good boy and I will go to the bathroom before I go in. Oh no what's this? She is putting me back in my car seat and leaving me in the car! What the heck, I am better than those kids! I have been quiet and good, maybe I did a little panting but what the heck! Does she think that sun roof is going to give me enough air? There she goes looking back at me, can I look any sadder to make her take me with her? No, she is going in with that woman and those 3 kids. Maybe she will bring me an ice cream cone. Yippee! Ok here I sit who are all these people driving through here? I am sooo hungry that food smells delicious! OK here she comes with a doggie bag! BEEF I can't wait. Now here she goes with another pill, what is she trying to do to me knock me out and leave me on the side of the road somewhere? OK I guess I'll take it anyway with that hamburger....What? CHICKEN? You've got to be kidding me? Chicken? They get hamburgers and I get chicken! I guess it's better than nothing.

Where are we going? We are on the road again. Now they want me to watch some other movie. These kids are telling me to lay down and watch the movie don't they know I don't watch TV. How long have we been driving? When are we going to get there? Where are we going? I'm tired of this $100 bed she bought me with this seat belt. It's not near as comfortable as her lap. Mama let me in your lap, I don't like it here right in front of this TV.

Well 2 hours later and we are stopping again. Yea! I get to walk somewhere and smell the ground. I love to smell new things. You never know what you are going to run into! This is fun I like walking around new places, wait what are we doing going back to that Tahoe? Stop I don't want to go in. What this kid is taking me! Oh no my Mama is walking off! They are putting me in this car! Mama they are going to run off with me, where are you going? I have to go where my Mama is, they are not going to get me in there! I'm not getting in that car with those 3 kids and watching the Chi chi hua hua movie again! NO NO NO! Oh good here comes Mama, it's OK, she is going with us. Oh gosh I thought she was gone forever! Here we go again WHERE ARE WE GOING? This is the longest ride I have been on in a long time. They keep saying in just a little while, when is a little while going to be here?

Next stop Austin they say! OK Let's go! Who is in Austin? Where is Austin?

Well we finally get to Austin! It is 1:30 in the morning I am tired and I have to go to the potty. Oh look I get to get off this leash and and and uh oh, there is my human sister, that means we are going to see those grandbabies mama is so crazy about! Oh my gosh! I'll never get my mama's attention. I'll be a lowly nobody! How long are we going to be here?

Well poor Ace has had to take a back seat this week. I got to spend the week with those wonderful grandbabies! I haven't down loaded the pics yet, but I will have them soon.

It was so good to see Izy! Her uncle Travis brought her in to me first thing Sunday morning! He told her he had a surprise for her and it was MIMI! Well seeing as she had a hold of Uncle Travis I don't know that she was quiet ready for MIMI but she came to me. She felt so good. And of course Ace was hopping up and down jealous as all get out. But he loves Izy so it was hard to tell if he was jealous or just happy to see her. I can't believe how much she has grown.

I took her downstairs and showed her what I had brought her! A Bunny rabbit! and squeeze it's hand and watch! HERE COMES PETER COTTON TAIL, HOPPING DOWN THE BUNNY TRAIL, HIPPITY HOPPING, EASTER'S ON IT'S WAY, DAH DAH DAH FOR ALL THE GIRLS AND BOYS, DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH DAH HIPPITY HOPPING EASTER'S ON IT'S WAY! And Peter jumps and flaps his arms, it's a hoot! And she sat right down in the floor and played it over and over and over and over while mom was sleeping in! When Natalie got up I asked her if she heard Izy's new toy and she informed me that it was a MIMI's house toy and would be going home with me! Ha! We'll see about that. As of this posting it seems Peter Rabbit's batteries ran out! Or did someone remove the batteries?????

We had a really good time while we were there. My mom and sister came and stayed a few days. Mom and I tried to teach Natalie, Lisa and my sister how to play hand in foot! That was not a good idea. We played a trial game with open hands and mom, who likes to win at everything, kept playing to win and so Natalie wouldn't be able to play, it was quiet funny because Nat figured out real quick what was going on! After that game we played Uno! That was hysterical. We had a really good time together. Mom really didn't get to hold Sophie much though between me, Lisa, and my sister. Everytime she got her someone would take her away!

Oh my goodness, you talk about sweet. That Sophia is the sweetest baby. And she loves to be held and Momma holds her too. So we really didn't get to spoil her any at all, she was already spoiled! What a little doll! I must say I enjoyed going down to Texas. Didn't get to see the Blue Bonnets though. Didn't get to take any pictures to paint! We traveled at night so it was hard to see. But I did get to go to Jerry's Artarama. It is a fantastic Art Supply store that I shop online with all the time. Loved loved loved going there!

Well I must say we had a very good time and I enjoyed visiting with my grandchildren, daughter, son-in-law, and Travis, Garth's brother. Traveling with Lisa and her children was great! They were the best kids. It was funny though, they never said a word going and coming until we got to Dallas and they wanted to ask a thousand questions, or mom to put a new movie in, Sydney wanted something right now, not in a minute! We got lost once and Thelma (GPS) put us right back on track by recalculating! We only got stopped one time by the highway patrol and when he looked in and saw everyone was strapped in their seats including the dog, he let us go with a warning! YEA! DOG SEATS AND SEAT BELTS, ACE SAVED THE DAY!

Just a few more days to Spring Break

2009-03-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness I have been so busy posting to Doreen everyday I have totally ignored my website.

In just 3 days I will be leaving to go to Austin and see my wonderful grandbabies. Ralph and I went to Tulsa this weekend to see them. And of course I had to get down and dirty and clean Britt's house before I could even sit down! Oh how nice it would be to visit one time and not have to clean, but it does make me feel like I'm still needed!!!! NOT!

We went to eat at Lone Star Steakhouse. That was an experience. It took them 2 hours almost before we were served. Now try keeping a 20 month old and a 4 1/2 month old quiet in that amount of time. Sophie is so funny, she likes to coo and holler. She enjoys hearing herself. Now Ralph who can't hear anything just kept holding his ears when she hollered. Natalie asked him how he couldn't hear us when we tried to talk to him but her hollering was hurting his ears. LOL. It was fun I walked Sophie around and around, she likes to walk. She doesn't like to just sit. We got to know all the servers and customers real well. Everyone had a smile for her as we went around the room. Izy wanted to eat Britt's salad. He asked Nat if she ever told her No. LOL He is such a baby, she was eating all his cheese. After that remark she threw some cheese back at him. She didn't have a clue what she had just done and how perfect it fit in with his remark, but it sure looked like she knew what she was doing. Pretty funny.

I am finally getting over this crud I have had for 2 weeks. Maybe some good ole Texas sun will dry me out. OH OH and I hope that the Blue Bonnets are in bloom. How I love the Blue Bonnets. I am determined to do a painting of the Blue Bonnets some day. I have seen so many that I like, but I want one that I DID.

This should be an interesting trip, Travis drove back with Nat and the two girls. He will be there till Tuesday, Lisa and her three girls and me and Ace are going down to stay, and my mom will be coming on Saturday to stay till Tuesday, which is the day that Travis is leaving. I think there will be 11 or 12 bodies and 3 dogs. I believe Natalie and Garth will have there fill of all of us by the time the week is over. It should make for a good post next week.

I remember when my mom and dad lived overseas and they would come back to the states every summer for 32 days. That would be my family of 5, then Ralph for 32 days. Ralph being an only child from a small family was totally overwhelmed by all of them. LOL But you know the old saying, when you marry, you marry the whole fam damily! It was quiet hairy at times. My mom and Ralph got along like a cat and dog. I believe I walked around on pins and needles the whole time never knowing what one would say to the other. No wonder I would get a migraine at least oncel while everyone was there. Finally mom told me to just leave them alone and they would be just fine. It finally worked after years of hard work. LOL Now they are pretty use to each other.

Well now Garth has transferred to Texas and taken my daughter and grandkids of course, so he will now get to know my whole family, but thank goodness he comes from a family of 5 and he won't be as shell shocked as Ralph was! LOL

More later

OH HAPPY DAY

2009-02-26T07:04:00.000-06:00

You know Oh happy DAy, Oh Happy Daaaay, When Jesus washed, when Jesus washed, Oh when he washed, HE WASHED MY SINS AWAY.. OH HAPPY DAY, I like to sing that song when I am Happy about something. And I am happy that my Babies are back in Oklahoma today... I won't get to see them till Sunday, but at least they are here in Oklahoma for a visit. YEA Oh Happy Day!

2009-02-17T17:21:00.000-06:00

She has now put Carly in her crate because she came in from being walked and pooped all in the living room floor. Twentyfour hours and she goes home.

2009-02-17T16:08:00.000-06:00

Well I am taking care of my son's 6 month old lab and his other lab Drake who I took care of for three years and he literally drug me through the streets and bar ditches of Stigler. Britt, my son, had to go on a business trip and had no one to take them on. Drake has really calmed down. I think he doesn't want to leave so he's being a perfect gentleman, plus he finally got neutered and I think that calmed him down a lot. The she devil (Carly, the new pup) is worse than Drake ever thought about being. I can't believe I'm doing this. My Bichon, Ace who is recooperating from a herniated disc and his small fracture in his spine, doesn't need all this commotion but is doing OK with it all. I don't mind keeping them at Britt's because his yard is fenced in, mine isn't so I have to walk them every 30 minutes. The pup has to go that often the other two don't. No one goes out the door without Drake. Ace I can keep inside. Just one more day and they go home. The house keepers come tomorrow. Boy will they be in for a surprise LOL. I bet they charge me double for double the trouble. Can you imagine 3 dogs two of them labs, running around in the house with no fenced in yard! WEll ASK ME I CAN TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT!

A Wonderful Valentines Weekend

2009-02-15T19:08:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful weekend Ralph and I had. We went to Tulsa for a Dinner Dance he takes me too every year. We dress up in After five attire, tuxedos for the guys. It's fun to do that once a year. I guess we could call it our Old People's Prom LOL.

There was a fantastic band called "Mid Life Crisis" I know the name is corny, but they were far from corny. Seems they opened for the Eagles last November and they are very impressive. They sang the Beatles, Beegees, Chicago, Van Morrison, Eagles, Loggins & Messina, Dooby Brothers, Temptations, My gosh I don't think there was any group they didn't sing a song of from bands in the 60's and some early 70's. There had to be 8-10 members. If you ever get the opportunity to hear them GO, you won't be able to sit. Ralph and I danced more than we have in years. You couldn't keep from dancing.

I babysat the boys and girls Friday night, Ace, Drake, and then Carly. She is a hoot. Ace is suffering from a small fracture in his back and a herniated disc. He is loosing control of his hind legs because of it. I guess the drive to Tulsa totally stressed him out and he was screaming with pain Friday night. I had to call the Vet to get permission to give him a pain pill and increase his prednisone. Finally around bed time he started moving a little. By Saturday morning he was a lot better. I can not figure out how this happened to him. It all started after the ice storm. I don't know whether he twisted his back and slid funny on the ice or what. I had dropped the leash on his back the other day. I don't know it just breaks my heart to see this little guy in pain. I love that dog as much as my grandbabies. I just hope he gets better with out back surgery.

Oh my poor grandbaby suffered a casualty this weekend. When Britt told me what happened I was concerned but I was more concerned for Natalie. She is such a careful mother and we all know you can be the most careful person in the world but accidents happen and heaven only knows those babies can get into something before you know it. I told Britt my heart goes out to Nat I know how it feels when your baby gets hurt, but it sounds to me like she was calm like her Daddy always was. I couldn't have made it through our catastrophes with out Ralph, he was always my rock. I always said the Good Lord watched over my babies because Heaven only knows I would go to pieces when something happened to them. It's a long story, but it has to do with giving a child up for adoption. You always think something is going to happen to those around you for your punishment.

One of these days I'll go into that story, it's a good one and it had a happy ending. We found each other and it has been a very positive experience. Her parents mean the world to me and my children love their sister like she was raised right there with them. And her parents feel the same about Natalie and Britt. It is a wonderful thing, not all birth reunions turn out like ours. But I think if everyone keeps their feelings in check it can work out like ours did.

Well that's all for tonight. Please remember to keep Doreen in your prayers, she is still recooperating and needs all of us praying for her.

Izabella Ralphyella

2009-02-11T19:02:00.000-06:00

This morning when I went out to walk Ace, I saw the MOST amazing rainbow. It went from one side of the sky to the other. It was a complete rainbow. So many times you see 1/2 of it but this morning it was all there in living color, just beautiful. I immediately thought of Brooke and Hillary leaving to go to Houston this morning and how that must have felt when they saw it. Someone described driving to work and it was like they were driving under it and I wondered if that was how the girls felt. It gave me goose bumps. I don't ever think I have seen one so intense and close, like I could reach up and touch it. And you couldn't help but remember God's promise to Abraham with the rainbow. It truly was a sign of hope.

I received the cutest picture of Izy today. On second thought I never received anything BUT cute pictures of Izy. It made my day. I then proceeded to tell Natalie how I use to take a Polaroid of her every morning before I left for work. LOL and she replied "So uv said" How funny, her way of letting me know I've told her on more than one occasion. Oh well, I'm sure I'll repeat myself many more times. As I watch her raise her two girls it just brings back so many wonderful memories of my firsts with her. Being older when I had her and having given a child up for adoption when I was younger, I cherished every minute of her earlier years; and her later years, the earlier years were just so much more memorable when she worshiped the ground I walked on and couldn't talk back LOL

My weekend with the girls

2009-02-09T19:19:00.000-06:00

Oh my gosh, I got 2 spend time with Izy and Sophie Saturday and Sunday while Natalie did her marathon work weekend. I don't know how many times she can do this as a nursing mom. She thoroughly enjoyed the time away from the girls and difinitely needed it, but boy she is going to be worn out when she gets home. I know I was worn out, but it was a good worn out. We only had a few catastrophes.

First I get up Saturday morning at 6:00 and proceed to Lysol and bleach every inch of Britt's house to prepare for the girls to stay. Go to the grocery store supply the frig, go back to Britt's unload the car, then proceed into Tulsa to get Sophie. I only get one at a time, Nat thinks it might be a little overwhelming LOL. Well I pick up that little bundle of joy and she was great, she slept all the way to Uncle Britt's. Get to Uncle Britt's and start to get Sophie out of the Suburban and lo and behold I don't know how to get the car seat of out the car! I tried for 10 minutes, finally, Britt has a neighbor who has been my night in shining armor before and I ring his doorbell and asks for his help.... He laughs and gets Sophie out. I couldn't believe it, I pushed every knob and never got the right one, thank goodness Sophie was asleep.

The rest of the day went great until Bath time. Travis had brought Izy over to Britt's so she could stay with us. Uncle Britt was suppose to help. yeh right, he calls and says he's not hungry and he is taking his dog to train. I told him it didn't matter whether he was hungry or not, but Izy would be before he was through after dark. God was surely watching over me because I managed to get Izy fed while Sophie was sleeping. Then Uncle Britt gets home. It was rather loud and she loves to say Bitt. Not Britt , but Bitt, so they go back and forth calling each other's name. Finally I get Sophie asleep so I can give Izy a bath, so I tell Britt to go change the sheets on his bed for his sister so I can lay Sophie down! Noooo, I'll hold Sophie while Mom changes his sheets. Before long he and Izy manage to wake Sophie and she goes in to her MELTDOWN time. Now mind you, if Britt would have been quiet and not talked she would have stayed asleep while I bathed Izy and got her to bed. We proceeded to spend the next 2 hours in utter chaos in which Britt decided he will never have kids. I wish everyone could have seen Britt holding Sophie trying to get her to calm down with sweat rolling of his forehead and bouncing her every way he knew how to calm her down. I told him Tough, he should have changed the sheets on his bed and he wouldn't have been in that situation, so tough it out for waking her up. LOL

Well, Britt decided to give Izy her bath and me hold the baby. The next thing I know he is in there asking Izy "Do you know how to wash yourself?" OK Izy is not even 2 yet and she had just pooped in her diaper before I put her in the tub! LOL I have Sophie crying, because it is meltdown time and all I really want to do is strangle Britt for waking her ! So I say, "BRITT! GET IN HERE AND HOLD SOPHIE AND I'LL GIVE IZY HER BATH!" So we switch again. MY GOSH HE IS GOING NUTS BY NOW. When is Natalie coming home, isn't it time for her to get here? How long does it take to do someone's hair? Oh this scene was hysterical. Finally I get Izy clean, diaper changed, PJ's on and milk made and in bed. Then take over Sophie. By this time he is on the phone to Natalie, when are you coming home. Of course she thinks I'm upset and she wants to talk to me and explains she will be working till 1:00 in the morning, did I not understand that, she diffinitely made that clear, I tried to explain that Britt was the one having difficulty. Well, I go into the kitchen to make Sophie a bottle with milk he had to go pick up from Natalie at the shop before he came home. Lo and Behold I SMELL GAS! NOT THE BODILY KIND EITHER! Seems little Izy while I was making her milk turned the gas stove on, without a fire and it was spewing gas into the kitchen. MY GOSH WHAT ELSE? Well I run out of the kitchen with Sophie and holler at Britt , We had to open the windows, 35 degrees outside, and air out the house from the fumes. And Britt had to fix the Breast milk because he chose that over holding Sophie again!!!!!!!! Anybody wiping their tears yet???? Finally 3 hours later I text Natalie a message that says PTL everyone is down. Now who doesn't know that PTL means PRAISE THE LORD???? My daughter and her lovely childhood friend LISA!!!

Well we manage to make it through and my lovely daughter comes home at 3:3o in the morning, Britts Spanish speaking neighbors are partying and singing Spanish rock music to the loud boom of the bass. Now I know why Izy kept waking up. Britt's dogs start barking, Sophie wakes up`, then Izy wakes up and Natalie has the audacity to say "Why is it everytime I spend the night here everyone wakes up? We don't have this problem at home or at Garth's parents! HMMMM. Could it be Britt has a small house with absolutely no insulation between the walls and you could here an ant belch???? And mom comes in at 3:30 in the morning and wakes everyone up? And of course, Izy wants to see Mommy, See mommy mimi, so she goes in and ready to start her day, "Hi mommy, gets on the bed and ready to chat! Mimi of course has not slept because I want to be awake in case of another catastrophe and I don't want it to happen on MY WATCH!!

Oh my. Well being the good Mimi, I take Izy to bed and get up when she gets up, Sophie wakes up and when Nat gets through feeding Sophie asks me to come get her! I do, still going on not much sleep and the stress of last night. Britt of course seems to have vanished, he is nowhere to be found. Like father like son! Well the girls and I did great. I fed Izy and Sophie layed on her mat and played herself to sleep and Izy and I played. Britt gets home and I start warming up lunch thinking all this time when mom gets up, I can get a nap. Well mom gets up and says Oh mom I'm meeting Jaime and Kim and some others for lunch at 1:00 is that OK? Then we'll go in and do your hair. What can I say? Sure honey go ahead. Well lunch goes into 4:00 on Sunday afternoon, I live an hour and a half away and my hair still isn't done yet, Sophie loves to be held and we held all afternoon so I decide to call Ralph and tell him Im going to stay over so Nat can have time with her friends and we can still do my hair. Ralph is not HAPPY! HE SAYS YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR TIME BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GEEZ I NEED TO PLAN MY TIME BETTER!!!!!::::???????????????? OH OK

Some days it just doesn't pay. By the way, to any of you young mothers who read this, and want us all to know what you go through? Guess what we have been there, that is why we try to be there for you so please be sure and thank those wonderful Mothers for being there and know that everything isn't always what it appears to be!

Prayers for Doreen

2009-02-06T14:43:00.000-06:00

For those who read this please put Doreen Forrester on your prayer list. They have found that she has a brain tumor that is malignant. She has an appointment at MD on Monday at 2:00 p.m. and will be there for 14 days.You can read updates on her at www.prayersfordoreen.com . I have been the child of a parent who went to MD Anderson and I can't thinkg of a better place to be. They are the most wonderful and compassionate caregivers that I have ever been involved with. My dad's doctor called him at home to check on him as well as returning his call when he or mom had questions.

Our husbands work together, our girls have gone to school together, grown up together, and now are having children. I can't imagine being in her place right now. Grandkids change your whole outlook on life, every minute becomes so much more special than it was before. You think your children are funny and witty and great and then God gives us grandchildren. What a blessing . My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.

NEW THINGS

2009-01-29T13:01:00.000-06:00

Well I am starting to learn about blogging! What a new experience. I have always run my thoughts through my little head. Saved all my funny remarks for only myself and now I am attempting to put my thoughts to paper so to speak!

I miss my grandkids so much I have started dreaming about them! Oh my gosh. I used to think my mother-in-law was so goofy about my children and I have become my mother-in-law! LOL what a compliment to her.

My husband called our daughter yesterday and he said you know what Izy said? "Ola Papa!" He was just beaming. I know it reminded him of when he was younger and his grandfather used to give him money when he would count to 10 in Spanish. LOL He said, she's been in Texas 2 weeks and she is already learning Spanish! We are awful!

Missing my grandbabies

2009-01-27T15:28:00.000-06:00

I miss my grandbabies immensely. I never knew that having kids would lead to such a wonderful experience.

They have recently moved to Austin and it's been two lweeks but I am already having withdrawals. Imagine!