Inside and Out

Hal and Annie's Amarylis; the snow at out hotel. We've been busy
visiting people we rarely get to see. A welcome treat!

Relaxing

It was the most relaxing day I've had in over a year. We visited
jo(e), hiked at Pretty Color Lake, which was looking a bit grey, but
we didn't mind. Then sat by the fire for hot tea, home made soup,
games and giggling. I'm off for more visiting so I can't write much
about it now. Hope to catch up later.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

Our new matching shirts from one of my paintings.

A Portrait of Paul

A Portrait of Paul, by Mary Stebbins Taitt

This is a digitally altered photograph. I painted over the photo with a smudge brush in Photoshop. It took me over seven hours to complete this portrait. I did not do it with filters and effects. I did it in the car driving from to Detroit to NY (where I am now) and some after
I got here. There are 5 verions of this so far. This is version 5. It is somewhat sepia toned, though I did it manually. Click image to view larger.

See a nonsepiaed version.
see purple and green version.

Grandchildren on Christmas

Me, by Biker Buddy

Today

We drove over four hundred miles--all day--from Detroit to Syracuse
NY. We stopped for a walk at Niagara.

grandchildren at Christmas revisted

YAY! Grandchildren

GRANDCHILDREN, YAY!

Christmas with the GC!

Piano Boy on Christmas Morning

goodies.

what I was doing today

Among other things, I was trying to paint a picture. Yellow on yellow, lemons and bananas. This is a small painting (for a gift note card) and did not photograph well. Click image to view larger.

We also had a nice Christmas dinner and visit with family and gifts. More tomorrow.

Merry Christmas.

Noticing: Sundays

Sometimes, I have a tendency to complain a lot about the things going wrong in my life and the world, so I thought I would take a moment to notice some immediate good things.

Sundays are often good days. Biker Buddy works 6 day, 58-hour a weeks and gets up at 4:20 AM every day but Sunday (occasionally even Sundays. but mostly not). Sundays, we lie together in the morning and hug each other--a rare privilege. Then Biker Buddy gets up and makes breakfast for me and we eat together. We sit in the study and he reads the paper and I catch up on email, blogging, and computer art. The we take a shower together; great fun! After we're dressed and have done some chores, we often head out for a walk--in the daylight, which we don't get much of during the rest of the week. We try to go somewhere fun.

The home for dinner and if I'm lucky, Biker Buddy will read to me. It's all very pleasant, though we don't get much done of the chores piling up.

This holiday I wish you . . .

Love, today and always!

Doodled with pens from Andrea this AM while Biker Buddy made breakfast.

(Click image to view larger.)

Wishing you Love

And an abundance of it.

(another quick painting today.)

what I am working on

This is a small painting for a card.

I am going to try again.

About this image: I photographed this tree at Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool NY. From the photo, I made a pen and ink line drawing, drawing hundreds and hundreds of leaves by hand. I scanned the pen and ink drawing, which was large, and printed 8 3.5 x 5 copies. I hand worked each of those eight with charcoal, chalk, pastels, and acrylics. 12/07

late fall

2 houses down there is a flowering pear almost completely covered with
brightly colored autumn leaves, in spite of the snow.

Piano Boy had an orthodontist appointment this morning--got his braces
on. I'm still madly working on my cards and gifts. Way behind on
email and commenting. Just got on-line briefly now for the first time
today, but have to run.

More holiday wishes

Every day, I want to give you my holiday blessings and best wishes. I
hope you are happy and enjoyiing the holiday season! :-D

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ENJOY!

My Daemon

I have some spirit guides, Eagle and Wolf and others, and I think of my Daemon as a wolf, or one that never settles completely and can change to an eagle, but I just took a quiz and got a different answer. There were lots of hard choices in the questions, so I easily could have gotten a different result had I taken it at a different time. I was tempted to try again.

Also, I'm not sure how accurate this is. For example, it says here I have unshakable tranquility, even in the face of chaos, but I answer one of the questions that in an argument, I become homicidal--how tranquil is THAT? And Heck, the hare is food for my wolf and eagle, though I read for every powerful spirit guide you have, you also have its prey.

What Animal Would Your Daemon Settle As?

Your HARE DAEMON represents your passive, kindhearted, and honorable nature. Though you are occasionally shy with new people, friends admire your unshakable tranquility, even in the face of chaos.
Take this quiz!

INSOMNIA!

I've been sleeping poorly again somewhat regularly, but last night, I was basically not only awake, but up and out of bed most of the night.  So I am very tired and it is hard to function.

VINDICATED! (Snow etiquette revisited)

I just heard on the local public radio station that it is illegal to shovel, shove, push or plow snow into any public roads.  It is not only discourteous, but also illegal.  There is a $100 fine and/or 90 days in jail! So I am not just being shrewish!  YAY me.  (Sorry, I had to say that.)  I wonder if that is also true in old home state!

A is for Apple

I don't think I'll get the kids' Alphabet book done in time for
Christmas! WAHN!

I like apples, but I'm afraid to eat them! I'm afraid of food, basically!

I have so many allergies and food sensitivities I no longer know
what's safe to eat.

Biker Buddy is a patient soul, posing for the book that prolly won't
get done in time.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ("Steal this card!")

I hope your holidays are wonderful and all the days before and after.
Click image to view larger. This is my latest art piece. Feel free
to enlarge it, copy it, and send it to your friends as long as you
leave my signature on it.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! Mary :-D

snow etiquette

I am back in from another 20 minutes of shoveling--biker buddy is still out there (but I went out before him.)  We still have a ways to go to clear the driveway.  With the new snow, prolly half still remains.

I was so upset that the next door neighbors would be so inconsiderate as to shovel snow in a huge huge heap behind Biker Buddy's car--his car is parked in the road because my car is in the driveway to be worked on.  I was shoveling the heavy stuff from the plow at the end of the driveway when Biker Buddy came out.  I carefully lift each shovelful and carry it to the curb.  Biker Buddy came out and started shoveling snow INTO THE ROAD!  I was shocked and HORRIFIED.  I thought only total @$$#@&#$ did that!  It's stupid because the plow will just push it back in and it will make lumps for other drivers and it is inconsiderate and asinine.

I told him I was embarrassed and ashamed to be married to him.  Then a car went by and gave ME a nasty look, as if they thought I had done such a crime against humanity.  So I went up and shoveled way up away from the road so I wouldn't have to suffer unjustly the evil stares of passers-by.  Aieee--did I make a terrible mistake marrying Biker Buddy? I thought he was smarter and more considerate.

After a while, he cleaned some of it up and I went out and shoveled the rest of the heavy stuff at the end of the driveway while he shoveled the lighter stuff in the middle.  I can't really complain about that thought, normally, he does way more than his share of the work around here.

I'm thinking that because there is normally less snow in Detroit than in Snowstorm City, they have had less opportunity to develop a sound snow etiquette.  But general kindness, consideration and intelligence should warn people against piling snow where someone else just has to shovel it again.  Am I all wrong to believe in being polite and considerate?  What's happening to the world, anyway?

old and tired

Phew, I'm getting old and tired. I shoveled snow for 16 minutes and came in to rest. That's my car up by the garage. The snow is 10-12 inches deep and drifted deeper some places. The neighbors put all the heavy plow snow from the end of their driveway behind Biker Buddy's car --they're young and they forget we're in our sixties! Biker Buddy had taken Piano Boy to a
friend's and I had to shovel all that heavy hard-packed stuff he could get back in. I shoveled the sidewalk and maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the driveway and now I am resting and Biker Buddy is taking a turn. And it is still snowing.

Last night, we went Christmas shopping and were totally exhausted when we got home--went to bed about 9:15 PM we were so worn out. UGH! I don't know how people have the strength or why they find shopping fun.

I wonder if it will last long enough for us to have a White Christmas, that would be nice. :-D

Snowing like Mad!

It's snowing like mad. We're supposed to get up to 14 inches. (There
goes our plans for the day!) Well, it sure is pretty, anyway. :-D

Absurdity

I moved more than a year ago to Detroit, and I still can't get my address changed for many of my business contacts. I tired again today. I went on line, and tried 10-15 times to log in, I called customer service twice, I tried the contact us button, and nothing worked. This has been an ongoing issue and my forwarding with the PO is about to expire. No one seems to have heard of real customer service any more. Mellon Investment's website SUCKS and so does their customer service, but they aren't alone.

Messy Creativity

Biker Buddy's Second Wife, BHGG (Better Homes and Gardens Girl) was a creative decorator and kept a gorgeous house. Unfortunately, my creativity tends to make terrible messes instead.

I downloaded this picture to my new Mac and fiddled with it on Aperature, but I don't have the hang of either the mac or Aperature, and I had to email it to myself on Blue in order to post it. I would have liked more shadows in the block so the pattern was visible, but I am clueless as to how to work the program at this point. And I have already wasted WAY too much time!

various pasttimes

OK, not various, just one that is different that what I am accustomed
to--the ice sailboats are out practicing in the huge now deserted
Metrobeach parkinglots. In the instant they pass each other, they
look a little like butterflies. They move so fast. It will be fun
when they have all of lake St. Clair to zoom across, though the lake
often has too much snow on it.

night vision?

Yes, I know, this is a terrible shot. BUT, it is also a good shot, in
a strange sense--this deer was only a few feet away from my in the
woods at Metrobeach. But it was dark, very dark. With no tripod and
not flash, I pointed the camera at the deer. I could hardly see it.

Actually, there were about twelve deer, but this one was the closest.
I thought that it was pretty neat that it came out. Crappy, to be
sure, but it was nighttime and I can see the deer better here than I
coudl in real life. Cool.

OK, 'scuse me, I just needed a little break.

The Golden Compass

Lyra with the Alietheiometer (sp). Photo not by me. (Most photos on
this blog are by me).

We went to see the Golden Compass Tonight. All three of us and the
two other people in the theater loved it. IT was NOT boring, as some
reviewers have said, not at all. Nor did it threaten my faith. I
don't get what the uproar is about. Sure it's about free will verses
predetermination and control by a higher power--but who's to say that
higher power is GOD?

If people have strong faith, why would questioning shake it? What not
look at all sides of an issue? What the heck is the big deal?

It's a fantasy. It's an adventure story. It's interesting,
suspenseful, scary and good.

And it will flop if people keep boycotting it. It's a good movie. Go
see it. Let me know what you thought. But hurry up, before they pull
it.

I loved it. (We all loved the books, too!)

Aiee--a left, and then a right!

Piano Boy had an orthodontist appointment to get his separators in right after school and I reminded him but he didn't show up. I called around to his friends and finally located him and he came home--late--on his bike and I had the car running--it's $25 fee for a missed appointment. ($5000 for the braces!)

But when I backed up--here we are already late--no brakes!

Drove the car over anyway without brakes--very slowly--And Biker Buddy came home from work and got me--Piano Boy walked back to his friend's house.

Now Biker Buddy is out working on the brakes! AK! :-(

From our family to yours

Hope you have a happy and intelligent Christmas, Solstice, Holiday.

early morning walk

Since it is now dark when Biker Buddy comes home from work and because we are all so busy right now, I've started walking early in the morning--just a part of my daily walk to get it over with. But when I walked this morning, there was a certain scent in the air, the smell of freshness and snow. It woke me right up and made me feel really alive. It was still dark, but I could feel little light snowflakes hitting my face. The puddles from all that rain we've been getting were frozen solid. I walked for 19 minutes and as I walked, the black sky turned inky blue and bit by bit, lightened a little. I began to be able to distinguish trees and the details of houses: shutter slats, brickwork. At one point, the sky reached a shade of blue that almost looked like the blue of a clear blue summer day, but I knew it wasn't, because of the snow. Then it lightened a little more and the grey became more evident. It was a quiet morning, no birds singing, but it was right at the time people were leaving for work and I had to keep running behind cars sitting in their driveways with their engines running and lights on--one even had their back-up lights on. I was both relieved and sad to get home and go inside where the air doesn't have that startling smell of snow.

My Lucky Day

Andrea, over at BGD, just awarded me some art supplies! YAY. She has more giveaways, too, if you want to participate! WAHOO!

Andrea is a gifted artist, photographer, and music aficionado. Be sure to check out her blogs.

She says: Check Mary out, she is a blogger champ! Hmmm, and here I was thinking about cutting back. AK!

I got an award!

I went over to Coffeypot's Blog, where I always get a couple of laughs and sometimes some sweetness which cheers me up to keep working, and I got a big surprise! I got a blogger buddy award. He said he liked my painting and drawing! YAY! Thanks Coffeypot. Now I am supposed to award it to 7 other people. There are so many sweet, kind, talented and wonderful people out there. It's a shame to limit it to seven!

OK, here goes:

1 & 2: Nadine and Berrybird, for unflagging support of my blog and
interesting posts on theirs.

3: jo(e): one of the best bloggers ever. I love her thoughtful posts.

4. JoAnn in the Netherlands for her interesting photographs.

5. hpy for great sense of humor and wonderful photos!

6. Blue Rose for cool art and photos and thoughtful words.

7a. Marie in France for her thoughtful work and nice photos

7b. Nicole (That's still 7, right?)

7c. Andrea, for her cool hand-drawn art and photography. (And her prize, LOL!) (That's still 7 right?).

I don't feel like I deserve an award because I'm not that good a blogger and worse yet, I'm about to get worse I think. And I am going to have to add the rest of the links later--I am out of time right now.

U is for Undersea

OK, my last U for now--U is for Undersea Bubbles. LOL!

U is for US Again

This was at the Zoo in 2005--Piano Boy is taller than me now.

ABC Wednesdays, U is for US

US, by Harry Teichert, at the Scott Fountain on Belle Isle.

ABC Wednesdays: U is for Umbrella

Here's another U--U for Umbrella! Also in Slovenia.

U is for UNDER

U is for Under--Under the falls in Slovenia.

I have some more for U if I have time to post them--they are on a
different computer.

Wordless Wednesday

see everyone's. click image to view larger

Piano Boys' Recital duet

Last night was Piano Boy's Christmas Piano Recital. In the first picture, he's rehearsing with J while Mrs. L looks on and advises. The second is the actual recital. It went very well--Phew, because it wasn't good at the rehearsal! But they shone last night, and Piano Boy did a great solo, too! Piano boy is the one in the back, J in the front. Click images to view larger.

making gifts

I'm trying to make some gifts, but it is slow work. This is a tiny
card. The smudge is not on the card, but on the scanner--I checked.