http://www.moonfairye.com/library/nebel/fog.htm This is such a great poem, Thanks Cat for posting. I have been so busy, kitchen man came yesterday and finished up, we still have to put in a couple of tiles and paint. We will test out the new kitchen on Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all!

Happy Thanksgiving

I received this email - The Turkey test. Thought I knew a whole bunch about Turkeys, well, I don't.
Pretty interesting.

http://home.aristotle.net/Thanksgiving/trivia.asp

Kitchen

Starting to get excited about the kitchen, not really liking the dust and all the insulation in the attic,that is now all over the house. Went to Home Depot and pick up some paint samples, to much to choose from. Lovin color but really like the neutrals, we will see. I can't go to overboard, Jerry is finally use to the Bougainvillea and mustard in the bedroom and the lavender and green in the studio.

Motley Crowd tis is- Thanksgiving 2008
-Before Hurricane Wilma, we always had our gatherings outside-We had a screened in patio, never rained, always beautiful weather. Things change, but they somehow remain the same. We are redoing our kitchen, I am busy unpacking cupboards, going to be so different. Thanksgiving won't be at our house this year. Gonna miss this old kitchen.

Thanks for the Memories-
My Thanksgiving Poem




While packing up our things
thought it will never be the same
so much fuss, so much stuff

Memories in the plates, for goodness sakes
Mother, we miss your apple pie
and Mom your pecan pies
and the family ties
Grandma Zieman's rolls
never taste the same
but we'll keep on trying


Sometimes we take for granted
what we have been granted
Grown up too fast
but what a blast


Aluminium foil
Tupperware that sometimes disappeared
and then reappears next year
family together, some gone forever
but yet right there, in some dish that we have prepared
Generation after generation
marriages and kids
The family tradition
wouldn't trade it for a thing


Going to miss this old Kitchen
with all it's broken things
we'll have a new kitchen to
gather in once again.



Happy Thanksgiving!

Flamingo

I really don't think a person can take a bad picture of the Flamingo. They are so BEAUTIFUL! The date doesn't do much for the photo, but a least it matches and she looks like she doesn't mind. I am so fortunate to live near an aviary with such wonderful birds. (the Flamingo aren't in the aviary, there not going anywhere. The black birds got in during hurricane Wilma and they won't leave. The ones on the outside are really trying hard to get in.

Sorry I have to post My Family Tree- I just got this in a email- Didn't know until right this minute that I was related to Vincent!

Family Tree of Vincent Van Gogh--His dizzy aunt --- Verti Gogh-The brother who worked at a convenience store --- Stop N Gogh-The grandfather from Yugoslavia -- U Gogh-His magician uncle --- Where-diddy Gogh--His Mexican cousin --- A Mee Gogh--The Mexican cousin's American half-brother --- Gring Gogh-The nephew who drove a stage coach ---- Wells-far Gogh-The ballroom dancing aunt -- Tang Gogh-The bird lover uncle --- Flamin Gogh-The fruit-loving cousin --- Man Gogh-An aunt who taught positive thinking --- Way-to-Gogh-The little bouncy nephew -- Poe Gogh-A sister who loved disco --- Go Gogh-And his niece who travels the country in an RV ---Winnie Bay Gogh-There ya Gogh! Time to Gogh.......Oops I gotta Gogh!!!

A Turtle

I am a Turtle Turtle in the pond
Gotta get out and look around
Look and see what I have found
Another beautiful sunny day to crawl around

Subject: Fw: CRABBY OLD MAN

Has a message for all of us...PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ.

---
CRABBY OLD MAN When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value .Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem . Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital .One nurse took her copy to Missouri . The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.Crabby Old ManWhat do you see nurses? . .. . What do you see? What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?A crabby old man, . ... . . . . not very wise,Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . .with faraway eyes?Who dribbles his food . . .. . .and makes no reply .When you say in a loud voice ..'I do wish you'd try!' Who seems not to notice . . . .the things that you do ..And forever is losing . . . . . . A sock or shoe?Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill? Is that what you're thinking?. . Is that what you see?Then open your eyes, nurse . . .you're not looking at me ..I'll tell you who I am . . . . . . As I sit here so still,As I do at your bidding, .. . . . .as I eat at your will. I'm a small child of Ten .. . . .with a father and mother,Brothers and sisters . . . . .. . . w ho love one another.A young boy of Sixteen . . . . . with wings on his feetDreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he'll meet.. A groom soon at Twenty . . . . .my heart gives a leap.Remembering, the vows . . . . ..that I promised to keep.At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . . . I have young of my own.Who need me to guide . . . . . .And a secure happy home. A man of Thirty . . . . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,Bound to each other . . . . . . . .With ties that should last.At Forty, my young sons .. . . . have grown and are gone,But my woman's beside me. . . . to see I don't mourn. At Fifty, once more, . . . . . . . babies play 'round my knee,Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.Dark days are upon me . . . . .. .my wife is now dead.I look at the future ... . . . . . shudder with dread..
For my young are all rearing . .. young of their own.And I think of the years . . . . and the love that I've known.I'm now an old man . . . . . . . . and nature is cruel.Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool. The body, it crumbles . . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.There is now a stone . . . . . . where I once had a heart.But inside this old carcass . . . . a young guy still dwells,And now and again . . . .. . . . . my battered heart swells. I remember the joys . . . . . . . I remember the pain.And I'm loving and living. . . . . life over again.I think of the years, . . . . . . ..all too few gone too fast.And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last. So open your eyes, people. . . . open and see.Not a crabby old man. . . . . . . Look closer . . . . see ME!!Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . . we will all, one day, be there, too! PLEASE SHARE THIS POEMThe best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart.
God Bless All who read this Poem and send it to those on "YOUR" mailing list

Flamingo

Whose feet are those
I do not know
Too big to be mine.
And the toes
whose are those
only three.
That could not be
Lets look again
Oooooh!!! they belong to meeeee!

Who That Bee?

Who that be over there
What do I see
Is it a Bee
Bothering Me

Or maybe a flying Bat
What would you think of that
Of course that could not Bee
the thing that I see

Maybe a Humming Bird
That would be neat to see
Whatever it is
I wonder what it thinks of Me!

Another Exercise

Another Exercise-

While I was looking for something, I found something else, (easily distracted) An excersie that I did many years ago, a painting out of a collage.

The figure on the right was a quick collage I did on orange construction paper, taking stuff out of magazines, my first attempt at collage. It was so much fun that I figured that I would do a painting of the collage, taking white watercolor paper, add a few more touches and woola. (watercolor and gouache) It was fun to do.

I can see with this photo I could darken some of the shadows, maybe, nay!

Of course, I didn't find what I was looking for because posting this was more fun.

Everglades Blackbirds II

Some more stuff. Yesterdays painting, had a little Asian flair, sooooooooo, I wanted to show off this piece that I bought years ago at an antique show. It is wood and has the characters names below their faces. I'm thinking it might be from a play. I love it, looks like black Birdie does too, or maybe that's the director, go figure.

Today I am going to start my 2nd painting "Crows that hang out in the Everglades" , maybe I will make it alittle funky.

Everglades Blackbird

Just finished up my bird painting, watercolor and a little bit of colored crayon for highlights.

How do you like the way I signed my name, hope it is correct. The painting looks somewhat Asian, simple, well as simple as I can make it. I like to use patterning, maybe the next one.

Since I am not going to be attending the workshop, I have to stop feeling sorry for myself and do some paintings. So here it goes, my first of my series of everglade birds, hope it won't be the last.

Hungry Raccoon

These shots were taken at a car event we attended last weekend. The little fellow would take the dog food and douse the food in the water.

Wikipedia - Dousing

Captive raccoons often douse their food before eating.
Raccoons sample food and other objects with their front paws to examine them and to remove unwanted parts. The tactile sensitivity of their paws is increased if this action is performed underwater, since the water softens the horny layer covering the paws.[86] However, the behavior observed in captive raccoons in which they carry their food to a watering hole to "wash" or douse it before eating has not been observed in the wild.[87] Naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–1788) believed that raccoons do not have adequate saliva production to moisten food, necessitating dousing, but this is certainly incorrect.[88] Captive raccoons douse their food more frequently when a watering hole with a layout similar to a stream is not farther away than 3.0 m (9.8 ft).[89] The widely accepted theory is that dousing is a vacuum activity imitating foraging at shores for aquatic foods.[90] This is supported by the observation that such foods are doused more frequently. Cleaning dirty food does not seem to be a reason for "washing".[89] Experts have cast doubt on the veracity of observations of wild raccoons dousing food.[91]

For the Birds

The top photo-was taken Friday, not a very good photo, but I thought it told a story about the weather. When I bought out the peanuts, it was a different story, they were almost eating out of my hand. The bottom photo was taken from the inside out.

I just started following Abe Lincolns http://mybirdsblog.blogspot.com/ with his amazing bird photos, WoW. He inspired me so much that I actually started my blackbird series last night. Haven't shared those photos yet, thought I would go over the steps, maybe, to the finish. The post might be on the second Thursday of the week.

I paint and draw intuitively, so this idea might not work. I draw something out and the painting looks so different than my thoughts.

Birdee (my Africa Gray) is very talkative this morning, asked what I was doing. I wouldn't put it past her if she started her own blog, hmmmm, that's a thought. Cats and dogs do it!

Playing Hard to Get

Went out to the everglades on Friday and took some nice pictures, painting material. Not so much this picture, maybe put her in one of my paintings. Just wanted to post this picture, just because.

She was looking a little lonely

Just looking a little lonely

Like to join the crowd

Playing hard to get

maybe I should forget

about playing hard to get

Maybe I should mingle

Or I will be single

Maybe tomorrow

I'll play hard to get.

Memories

Far right is a photo of my Brother & I eating our shared Popsicle, I would gobble mine down and Larry use to put his in the refrig and tease me with it later, real funny ha ha. Our clothes were made by that well known fashion designer, our Grandmother. My first store bought dress, I was in 7th grade, (junior High)

Received attached (hopefully) email this morning and brought back memories.
top left- My Mother & Dad,
Middle top- My Brother, Sister and Me, holding our Christmas stockings
top right-My Grandmother, Mother and my second cousin Jerry
bottom left- Me and my Brother (my brother has a toy rubber band gun in his hand. )
Middle - Aunt Maxine and my Mother.
Bottom right - Grandma Z, Aunt Mariana and Grandpa Z.
Hanging at the bottom a Picture of Hubby Jerry giving me a bear hug.

Beautiful Day

Friday we had such hot weather, then Saturday the cold front hit, got down in the low 60's. Sunday we went to Hollywood beach, another perfect day. Forgot my camera, next time.
We ate at a little place on the inter coastal, "Le Tub" http://www.theletub.com/ we use to go there all the time, (winter only) the kitchen is maybe 6 X 6, but they turn out some really good food. The decor is stuff the owner has found on the beach over the years.

Question?

Don't even ask. Some will get it and then again some or most won't.
Actually I love doing things like this just to see if anyone notices. Now, my most fun stuff, I like putting different tops on Jerry's woodturnings to see if he notices, he usually does.
To answer a question about the Indian corn photo I posted the other day. Nicky left a comment about the corn, I didn't know, sooooooooo I found out-(see below) The question -
Is Indian Corn edible? Never really thought about this before, I always buy Indian Corn to decorate. The corn is so beautiful that I don't have to do anything else<:)
http://www.wonderquest.com/meander-beetle-corn.htm#corn

Pumpkins and Corn

PUMPKINS AND CORN, WHOOPEE
Went to the corn patch and what did I see-Saw those corn kernels lookin at me. Pick me, pick me and take me home. Put me in a basket and decorate your home.
Went to the pumpkin patch and what did I see- Saw cool weather coming to me. Pick me, pick me and you will see, carve me some eyes and I'll be lookin at thee.

What Are You Looking At?

Hello!

While the people up north are enjoying the colder weather and the changing of the leaves, I am busy cleaning my patio. It has been too hot to enjoy, won't be long till we're outside eating a good meal. Going to get my kitchen redone, so I will have to get out the George Forman Grill or uncover the Barbee.

This fellow in the picture is not going to like the cold weather. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator

Art Show Weekend!

Unpacking from the weekend art show-This was the hottest weekend of my life, in a daze all weekend, then when packing up it started to rain, that put me into ditsy overload. (more than usual) On the way home, of course we missed our exit and had to backtrack, wellllllllllllllll by then I was freezing from being soaked by the rain, luckily I had a jacket in the van. I did get a few stares at the rest stop, 100 degrees and this nut is wearing a jacket. (Oh well, it gave them something to talk about)

The highlight of the weekend were our neighbors, Jeff Eckert, http://jeffeckert.com/ his drawings were wonderful and he was a laugh a minute. My prize- I Traded one of Jerry's pieces for a BEAUTIFUL painting of an old basket, by Joe Krawczy- http://art@krawczykstudio.com/index.html Joe and Sherry were our cattycorner neighbors, at the Winter Park Art Show (Florida) I really don't have any wall space, but the painting is so beautiful, that I will find a place! Sherry, Joe's wife, is a wonderful artist, but was not showing her art at this show, She is a hoot. One wonderful artist was handing out water so we wouldn't pass out, and toward the end of the show, a fellow, all deck out with his kilt skirt on was handing out snacks for the ride home, I think he was from the Smoothie Booth, (or an Angel) Thanks, you made the ride home fingerlicking good. Oh, I almost forgot, how could I, Herbert Hofer, who had our booth as one of his destinations. He also kept us laughing, he made his rounds.
Sherry and I were talking about artist, I mentioned Klimt and Hunterwasser as being some of my favorites.
Started this painting a number of years ago. Keep adding little stuff. Kidda a metamorphose. Can you tell I kidda like Gustav Klimt.
Hundertwasser-
Another one of my favorite artists,
I love Color, shapes, and he avoids theory, he used the senses. I like his flamboyant style, and read that critics went crazy, they thought his art should be logical. Oh well, that's what ya get for thinking!

To be Continued------ http://jersuzstuff.blogspot.com/

Dog vs the Lizard

Gotta get that lizard-He jumped into my pool-Who does he think he is -We have to do a duel.

He's hiding & I don't know where -Some place in my pool-Either here or there-

I think I can catch him because he doesn't have a fin-He can't stay in there forever-OH WELL, I'LL JUST JUMP IN :)

Beyond the Art Show!

We had an art show this weekend (see his stuff at jersuzstuff.blogspot.com) not a big crowd, think everyone in Florida were at the beach. Jerry won a BLUE RIBBON and sold! Turned out to be a beautiful weekend, and we got out of the yard.

Now have to unpack and repack for next weedends show in Winter Park, Florida.

Sometime I doodle beyond the jounal, this piece is called "Shadows" I remember my teacher in elemetary school let us use a woodburner to make our mothers a mothers day gift. Can you imagine that today.

Cold Front

Thought I would share a little bit of Florida when the cold weather is upon us.

Well, we did have a little cold front come in-it got down to 89. Had to do it, people up north are enjoying the autumn leave, and I am enjoying other bloggers with postings of autumn

American Samoa

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the earthquake in American Samoa. Especially the family of Dan who passed away in that earthquake.

My sisters friends -Curt, Kath and Stuart who barely escaped. They have quite a story to tell.

Bull at the Fair

Took this photo when I was in Georgia, at an art fair. Just thought he was so cute, especially since he was on the other side of the fence. Tried to get a better shot but I wasn't the only one that thought he was cute.

BULL ON A BLOG

I'm just a bull at the fair

Can't understand why everyone stares

I guess because I am so cute

and my profile has a certain flair

They take photos

but I don't care

I think I'm more handsome than cute

I become blogcelebrity

end up on someones blog

See I told ya

I'm the Baby

My daily lap

You can't beat that

Can't help myself

What do You think of that

Mommy gets mad

and that makes me sad

but she doesn't think I am bad

After all

Gotta Love Me Cause I'm the Baby.

Birdie

What are you thinking

What's on your mind

Wish you could tell me all of the time

You swing on your swing

& curse at your toys

Say that I am bootiful

& sing with joy

You call out our name & we do the same

My question to you is

Who's teachingwho?

I know, I know I posted this on the other blog

jersuzstuff.blogspot.com - but I found this picture of Birdie when she was just a baby. Couldn't help myself, she's so cute. She is 3 years old now, and carries on a great conversation. Never know if it's me talking to myself or her.

Labels

1. Hue- Very similar in value. Impressionist, Contemp, Post impressionist-(Bonnard-Flat patterns)

2. Black-Old Masters, Contemporary-(Matisse-Abandoned all color theory to work with his intuition)

3. Grey-Contemporary, Luminous- Turner

4. White-Impressionist, Contemporary-(Charles Reid-High key)

5. Shade- Adding a small amount of black or a complement to a pure color. Old Master, Traditional -

6. Tones-Luminous, Traditional (Turner-Strong contrasts in value are avoided.)

7. Tints-Sometimes called tones. Impressionist, Luminous, Traditional, Post Impressionist (Bonnard, Matisse, Turner) Tints are pure colors that have been lightened with addition of water.



It was late 19th century when we started with the formal art criticism and the sale of works in private art galleries. Cassatt (one of my favorites) and others were struggling artist at the time and these new labels were suppose to promote interest and help sales. It didn't but the labels stuck. Then labels became groups and most "Artist"/people do not like to be Labeled



My work is me, my thoughts, feelings, emotions, just me, and am different at different times. If I was grouped I guess I would, be "Excontimrealcubcolorsionism" but that's a really big word, maybe I will stick with Susan.

This is a photo of a bad photo of a painting I did of my Grandmother. (Watercolor)
I have done 3 paintings of my grandmother, I gave this one to my mother, and the other two, I gave to my sister.
I have to get back to painting, so many thoughts. Right now I have an idea. ---------My very good friend, Lorrianne is in the hospital recovery from surgery, she will need chemo next. In my minds eye I have a masterpiece of a painting about her. Now I have to get my mind to paper.

Where were You

Tom Paxton wrote a song within a week of September 11, 2001. Garrison Keller sang it on his October 13, 2001 Prairie Home Companion Show.

This painting symbolizes Birth, Living, Rebirth and Death.

Color-Patterning-Stories-Birds-Trees-Symbols

I really love patterning-Birds-Trees-symbols I PUT IT ALL IN THIS PAINTING> Many layers.
I heard so many stories, fables, and sayings when I was growing up, didn't realized at that time there was a meaning behind them. Just enjoyed my mother reading them to me. I would read them to my little sister until she became a better reader than I, same with my kids. Now I read to myself, can't get better than myself, It makes me better.
Fable-A narration intended to enforce a useful truth.
The Sky Is Falling (fable)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sky Is Falling, better known as Chicken Licken, Henny Penny or Chicken Little is an old fable about a chicken (or a hare in early versions) who believes the sky is falling. The phrase, "The sky is falling," has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent

Watercolor on 300lb paper.

The Old Barn

The Old Barn

I've been standing much to long

Many an animal I have homed

Long and short, big and tall

There all gone and I miss them all

The other day the wind did blow

Shifted me to the left and then to the right

Ripped my boards from head to toe

They came out and said I had to go

They brought machines

and tore me down

Lit a match and I hit the ground

I'm still here

But they can't see

Only a memory

Left to be

Have Loved this old barn since we bought our place in NC. In July when my grandson and I were in NC I noticed it leaning and knew it wouldn't be long.

So I wanted to get a photo of it before it was gone.
Took this shot on Sat.the 5th of Sept. and it was still smoldering Sunday night, didn't go down without a fight.

Hope the owner saved some of the old wood.

UPDATE- From my friend Jo Kilmer-rusticfurnituremakers.com/jo kilmer.htm

It was sad to see the burning pictures..I did love your poem, only you left out one part,,
How ...the nieghbor up the road {me}
was hurrying to and fro
gathering some of that 100 year old wood
to keep it alive and render it's beauty
for as long as She could..

I got enough to make some beautiful table tops and even do a good size room flooring..

Boo Hoo for all the rest that went up in smoke
jo

Less is More

Just got back from NC, had a wonderful weekend.

When I was there, I opened up my journal and found a flower that I put in there on my last visit. Thought it was so pretty and didn't have a whole lot of time to think this morning, so thought I would post something simple.

"Less is More"

My Mother

It's been 3 years ago today that my mother passed away. I am so blessed to have had such wonderful parents, and wonder do you ever get over the pain of losing parents.

My mother was 94 when this photo was taken.

MOTHER

My Mom would complain about those ducks

we would say, stop feeding them and they'll go away. She would not listen, so they would stay

After she passed they came around for awhile, but then again so did I.

Every evening she would sit on the back porch and watch the birds and recite the poem The Childrens Hour by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Between the dark and the daylight,

When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day's occupations

That is know as the Children's Hour.

I hear in the chamber above me

The patter of little feet,

The sound of a door that is opened,

And voices soft and sweet.

From my study I see in the lamplight,

Descending the broad hall stair,

Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,

An Edith with golden hair.

I loved that poem, especially the last two paragraphs

I have you fast in my fortress,

And will not let you depart,

But put you down into the dungeon

In the round-tower of my heart

And there will I keep you forever,

Yes, forever and a day,

Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,

And moulder in dust away.

My mother loved to read, and always read to us. She also kept a journal, her granny taught her that. She kept a journal up until the day she passed, at 94. I have one of her dairies from her high school days. She wrote "We went to the bank today, and the bank had no money" from that experience she learned to manage money. She worked very hard, taking care of her Grandparents. She would pick berries and gather eggs to sell at the local feed store.

She married our Dad, who was just as wonderful as she was. She just couldn't live without him. We were and are so blessed.

Thank You Mother.