Sarah Painted CDV Mixed Media-PAinted on The Watching Table

Thursday morning...Well I am at it again. I cannot seem to stop myself from painting over these little carte de viste photographs. I usually end up doing them while watching my favorite British film, the latest was The man who cried, a Catherine Cookson story. That woman was amazing and her films recreated with only the finest of the British actors. That one is a must see.
Again the cdv's speak to me and say paint me paint me so I succomb and with my wonderful Ott light given as a gift I sit at a table that is only big enough to get your knees under, about 3 feet off the floor. This was purchased at an estate sale many moons ago for an art table when Rita was only a baby. I remember her dad saying"what do we need that table for?" and I told him Rita would sit and paint at it. It was a swedish made table that although the legs are thin you can stand on it due to the incredible workmanship. To me there is nothing nicer than a scandanavian made piece of furniture. They have always had a simple yet durable approach and I am here to say this little table which Rita called"my watching table" , when she was three because she stood on top of it and watched whatever I was doing, will never leave my life. I cannot tell you how many things have been painted on it. I hope to refinish it at some point and keep it in a safe place to pass on to her when she gets older.
SO if you are at a tag sale and see a little table, don't pass it up. This one was only $15. Refinished it should be more valuable, but at present it is worth something only to me.

Cry Baby -Me

I have always been known to have an upbeat disposition. I wake up each day and greet the new dawn.. yes dawn, with a hopeful feeling. I think it keeps me alive actually. There are plenty of things to worry and be concerned about, flu, war, economy, health, retirement on and on...But really its not all within our power to change all that overnight. So I prefer to be a bit optimistic while being realistic. Does that make sense?

I do know from what my mom has told me that as a small child I was very inquisitive and was turning knobs and exploring early on and walked at 9 mnths. I was to be the earliest of all the walkers in our family, lucky for mom. I do remember going to kindergarten and feeling a terrible sense of missing home and mom..that is until I discovered the fake store and the fake food and playhouse. Then with some encouragement from my kindergarten teacher I was fine. I did suck my thumb until first grade, something that the doctors tried over and over to cure and finally that was accomplished. I also had a lisp so my early years were not too traumatic but rather little obstacles that had to be overcome. I think the speech therapist was patient as I don't feel there was trauma around keeping the teeth together when I said my,"S's".
However this photo of me which only surfaced recently is one of the few if not only photos of me crying. That is because it was taken by my uncle. His two little girls Patsy and Peggy who were my age and one year older were sitting nicely beside me and I am sure he picked me up and plopped me down and quickly took the photo. I love it! Almost all photos we see are so posed and perfect and the children smiling and in their best attire. Here I was in my perfect dress and crying my eyes out because I was abruptly separated from mom. I am happy my cousin Ann decided to send this to me last week and so I share a little cry baby Marianne with you!
Keep smiling!

BAck to our century plant in the desert

A few days ago Rita had another track meet. It was a windy but wonderful day in the stands and all the children and coaches and volunteers didn't disappoint at all. I saw nothing but relaxed and happy faces among the participants and even in the stands the sparse turnout of parents were ones that were so easy to talk to and be around. They support their kids and want the best for them as we all do of our children. After the meet was over and sun was setting into the hills beyond Cottonwood, the last bits of light were still out and shining on this wonderful plant whom I had photographed a few weeks before. Now her showy blooms were open and abundant and I took a few snaps to be able to keep. I toned the image as I wanted to add a bit of cool to the plant and some warmer heat to the blue sky.
I love the idea that all those spikes protected the regal bloom which was reaching toward the sky some 3 feet, at least, above my head. Nature has her citadels and soldiers and this plant had the deadly sharp spikes all around her. I am still in awe of nature and hope to be forever. The day that she stops amazing me I will stop living for if we do not stop and look at what we are given on this planet and see it for what it is than we are not truly living.
I have added a gadget for the Heifer foundation on the right and I encourage all you folks and bloggers to unite for the fight against hunger this Wednesday. Do what you can to help. Together we are a power. Separate we can still do some things but there is nothing like a group to make a change. Join me in adding this gadget by clicking the link and signing up on their site, it takes only a few minutes.
Have a wonderful Sunday!

Marchesa Casati by Man Ray

This image one of many by famed photographer/dadist and innovator Man Ray.
Man Ray, born Emmanuel Radnitzky (August 27, 1890 – November 18, 1976), was an American artist who spent most of his career in Paris, France. Perhaps best described simply as a modernist, he was a significant contributor to both the Dada and Surrealist movements, although his ties to each were informal. Best known in the art world for his avant-garde photography, Man Ray produced major works in a variety of media and considered himself a painter above all. He was also a renowned fashion and portrait photographer. He is noted for his photograms, which he renamed rayographs after himself.

About the photo..

In the decadent 1920’s it was the notoriously naughty Marchesa Luisa Casati (1881-1957), daughter of a wealthy cotton manufacturer, who reigned as the disreputable diva of her day. Everywhere she went, she set trends, inspired genius and astounded even the most jaded members of the international aristocracy.

Renowned as the most scandalous woman of her generation, the Marchesa was Europe’s most cosseted celebrity, and its most eccentric. For the first three decades of the twentieth century she traveled to Venice, Rome, Capri and Paris collecting palaces and a menagerie of exotic animals, all the while declaring:

“I want to be a living work of art.”
I am inspired by both artist and subject here for their breakaway spirit and creative genius. I won't tell you Marchesa's sad tale except she was seen digging through a trash heap at the end of her life looking for a feather to put in her hair....concerned about her looks until the end.. a true fashion queen!

Encaustic Crayon Art by Christian Faur

Artist statement:

For this body of work I have assembled more than one hundred thousand hand cast crayons of varying colors and shades to produce a body of work that, to the best of my knowledge, is unlike anything done before in art. These individual “pixels” of wax are precisely stacked into specific locations inside of wooden frames to produce a new art form that uniquely balances the qualities of both photography and sculpture. Further, I have developed a mapping system that translates the English alphabet into twenty six discrete colors and I use these crayon “fonts” to add words and language to each of the pieces in the show.

The product is a series of photorealistic landscapes and figurative images that are formed at the surface of the thousands of tightly packed crayon tips. The imagery that makes up this new body tends to focus on isolated elements represented as children, barns, water towers, etc. withinin determinate landscapes, which are intended to reference the individual crayon whose solitary existence, like that of the individual element, is rendered obsolete in the amalgamate. The direct representation of language in each piece further imbues the works with meaning and brings an aspect of color into each composition reminiscent of DNA coding. The alphabetic key at the lower left of each panel allows the viewer to interpret the individual words written throughout the various panels."

his site here

I was more than intrigued by this tremendous artist and felt a kindred soul in that he loved encaustics, bees, and photos... those 3 things were such a part of my soul that he had to be an artist that I wanted to explore more. I went to this site which I have linked in the title and above and hope you will be intrigued as I was to expore more of this wonderful man's work!

I felt compelled to write to him and tell him my background and gave him a link to my blog and asked if I could feature him and he said yes which I thought was kind of him. So go visit this site and see how he has taken everything just a step beyond many other artists which I admire the most!

He also has a wonderful shredded paper series.. oh what the heck check it all out!

I love love his quote from Frank Lloyd Wright,"--Each material has its own message-- Frank Lloyd Wright (1928)".

Garden Girl Silhouette Wall ARt -Or how I stopped thinking and started doing

Here is Clara. She longs to be outside in her garden. The thoughts of gardening fill her head.
I have loved silhouettes even as a child. My grandmother had one on glass in her home and I often would stare at it and wonder how it was made. It was a bubble glass with the silhouette on it and beneath it on another level was this wonderful multi colored foil that was seen around the area that wasn't black. I think you know what I am talking about.

Then as I became more and more interested in vintage photography I would come across silhouettes now and again and have to have them. So I have a few in my collection.
They are very very popular once again and making them artistic and different are also popular.. Well.. I have been thinking about making a mixed media piece for awhile and today I just decided to stop thinking and "do it" as Nike would say. the rest is history...haha!
I spent the last 3 hours working on this image and then made a wall hanging also using it both are now listed on Etsy. The link is in the title.
Message for the day, stop thinking and start doing! There is no better time than the present.

St. Mary Magdalene-Suffering after Crucifixion-Painted Mixed Media by Rita Clancy

I wasn't sure how to react when I first saw this mixed media piece that Rita did. I told her she would have lots of people thinking she was taking a person from the bible and making it look bad and people might get all upset about it and I was concerned for her posting it.

Then she said,"Mom are you familiar with this painting? That woman was making a face that looked like a bear in a trap and in terrible pain." I told her the story of how she was close friends with Jesus and her heart was broken when he was crucified. Oh that is probably why she looked like she was in horrible pain."

Then I realized that its so important for us to not be judgemental with art. Its easy to do, to be opinionated and say this and that, but really when it gets right down to it, what do we really know behind the art that might connect to the artists feelings or impressions of things to be able to truly "know" why they did what they did or painted this or that.

I believe that art is, as many would say," life" and vice versa. That is where the fun can begin, what did the artist say about life or his life in the artwork, not how it looked or if the design or color was off.

In think in Rita's case the anguish in Mary Magdalene's face frightened her and she painted over it to symbolize a pain that felt like an animal in a trap. Pretty cool. So I share with you.

First Communion Native American Girls New Mexico Glass Negative

These two girls are native Americans. They are wearing traditional silver pounded bracelets. I believe they were forced by some white folks to make their communion. this happened alot I have found that even in New Zealand people with all good intentions took "heathen" children from their parents and fostered them through religion. These girls don't look to thrilled but they are beautiful. I would rather have seen them in their native clothing. The parents would never have allowed this unless they had died or were talked into something as Indians that I have known are very proud and do not believe in the traditional religions. Not back then anyway. The image is still a gorgeous piece of history and I am thrilled to have found it.

On another note, I am on day 2 of a garage sale, this is proving to be alot of work. I hope to get rid of lots of the garage this way and make some cash but really put Blue through the ringer being on a leash next to me all day and now at 6 am must prepare to do it again.

TOnite is the school prom for my daughter, she was so excited she did a dry run and dressed up in everything including the heels and pranced around the house for an hour in them trying on jewelry and make up but not much of that as she is really pretty without it. I will try to get photos tonite.
Have a wonderful Saturday and enjoy spring.. its here!

Cat lady~Surreal Surrender a tintype w a Twist!

Meow! this is a tinted tintype that I made for a lady in Germany who asked if I had a compliment to another collaged cat and lady tintype in my etsy store. I think this one might be a little bit too surreal but then again maybe not. I only know that we all have a little meow in us and this woman seems to have alot. The tintype was tinted very carefully and I am thrilled with how it turned out. There is a link to the store if you want to see it larger.
I got a wonderful note from Julie and she suggested a link to an Earth Day page that I am going to include here. Lets all get on the bandwagon and do whatever we can to stop the earth from getting warmer and especially be aware of the rain forests and the forests in Africa..didn't know there were any? Well I just heard a wonderful lecture from a woman on Democracy Now's news that you might really really enjoy.. I will go get the link for you so there will be no excuse not to listen to it.. please do. its so so important! CLICK HERE if you have to scroll the video forward until you get to Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai,she has so much to say and its so relevant to the world and to our earth!

last night a Century plant blossomed

Yesterday I sat for 3 hours with a sparse amount of other mothers and a few dads at the REd Rock track meet. I still feel a wonderful sense of pride to watch Rita run and hurdle and jump and do her track thing. The two mom's I sat next to were very Christian and one is a dear friend for years. We have never had anything but great talks about our kids and religion has never come up. The other mother with a quick tongue from the start seemed very affable and we agreed about breastfeeding over other things such as the woman in bleechers below us giving her sick infant a pepsi bottle to drink and then play with the cap in his little 2 yr old mouth. I was shocked that anyone would give a baby a small chokable item. this mom spent most her time on the cell phone and pacifying the toddler with cheesewhiz chips and pepsi so this mom and I could agree that was probably not good for this little boy and he was terribly sick, coughing and crying the entire time. The subject of movies was brought up by one of her pre teen daughters and she started to talk about how bad the language was and I agreed movies are not what they used to be. I asked if she had seen the series"Planet Earth" as I liked to reccommend that to anyone who wants to see something the entire family could watch. Her first question was,"Do they mention millions and millions of years?" and I looked at her like"what?" and then she said,"ya know, what was the"slant".. then I said,"slant?" and she said "yeah there is always a slant". I said,"Its about the earth, different ecosystems and nature, animals,". She looked at me with a weird smirk. I got a pit in my stomach as I realized that this woman with her deep felt Christian beliefs was actually going to censor her kids from seeing Planet Earth. This was crushing to me as I never figured that religion of any kind would judge what moviemakers document as endangered species and a planet so beautiful and fragile and our home as being something that her kids couldn't watch because someone might say the earth is a certain age. This really put my mind in a spin for the rest of the track meet. I just couldn't believe that this woman who we shared so much in common could be so dogmatic about science and earth and the animals. I didn't say another word to her just sat there watching the kids on the field.
AFterwards I waited at the car and spent time cleaning it out while Rita helped the other kids take a victory lap around the track. That warmed my heart to see all of them, healthy, running after working themselves to death running for hours before. I really admire these kids, the athletes, they don't have to do what they do but they know its fun and keeps them healthy.
I also admire the parents who come and sit for hours on end supporting their kids and mine, the coaches, the volunteers. All of them make this important for the kids and those same children will grow and inherit the earth as we once did. An earth that supports us but needs care and love and nurturing like the children. We must keep our eyes and hearts open, regardless of our religious beliefs.
Just before I was going to leave w Rita I spied a century plant, struggling to grow between the sidewalk of the school parking lot and I snapped a photo of it, which I am sharing here. By summer's beginning this plant will have a spike about 5 ft taller than its already 6ft tall flower and little white flowerettes attached. There is an entire world within that flower. When I zoomed into the center of it I saw bugs and flies and realized that was an entire world, one we must also care for. CAre for our world, its the only one we have! Earth day is upon us... go get that series and watch it..Planet EArth!

Fairies Dance -a Tinted Vintage photo

click title or photo to go see a larger version in my etsy store.
I recently purchased this image and was so thrilled to do so. I knew when I saw it in such terrible condition that I might repair it and tint it and make a prettiness of its fragile and falling apart state. This was so much fun. It took hours but I think it turned out lovely. The girl with the dark hair in front's name is Ruby Wheeler. Perfect fairy name..Ruby! I almost named Rita that, I love that name.. it could be a fairy name, or Pearl. ANy gem will do.. and now a fairy poem for you!

A Fairy Song

by William Shakespeare

Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire! I do wander everywhere, Swifter than the moon's sphere; And I serve the Fairy Queen, To dew her orbs upon the green; The cowslips tall her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours; In those freckles live their savours; I must go seek some dewdrops here, And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.

Ruth Benedict Poet Antropologist-One thing leads to Another..or..how I came to find out about her

I think the theme running through my head, and its at full speed this morning... but first I must tell you that.. I have my set routines, coffee, email, etsy, ebay..maybe a little news if I allow myself the time before I make a quick breakfast for Rita and get her going, feed the dog, etc. These routines that are sometimes but not often broken by an unforseen thing, a u-turn so to speak. Today I was thinking about the blog and as its Friday I wanted to do or say something special so I sat a moment and the first thing that popped into my head was to slowly publish parts of the story from this diary/photo album which I bought that is about the Freeman family of Pasadena. I have had this sitting next to me for 6 years like a piece of chocolate cake you look at for its beauty and keep because of the smell or future melt in your mouth taste that you want to preserve. that is how I feel about this album, as if it is one of my most precious items, one that I cannot sell or give or do anything with but publish some day.
Well, I am interested in history..of course, so I read the first page of the 10lb book to myself and thought, "why haven't you researched her side of the family", that is Marmee as they called her, the mother of the 5 Freeman children. The book starts off with the 2 oldest girls Beatrice and Peggy going east to see aunt Ruth and Grandma at the "Shattuck", farm in Norwich. I typed this into google and wondered why I hadn't before done this. Why, it wasn't the right time I guess, if you believe in such things.. well I think I do. What I found was a treasure chest of information about Margery's family and her wonderful sister Ruth. I read a good deal about her and now find that I want to know more.

I love science and art as a path and know I would have loved a career that could cross over to both. Ruth was a published poet and an amazing writer and anthropologist and later a friend and possible lover of Margaret Mead. This info I have found online as you can but here is the photo of the book cover. I am now going to dig deeper but Ruth and Margery's father and great grandfather were both incredible people. I won't write it all here but if interested, here are 2 wonderful links to read more..click link here.
or a short concise page click here.
So, one thing does lead to another. A path you set out on can be the same path you walked before or if the adventurous spirit should strike you.. veer off to the path not yet chosen. You never know what you may find. Life can be a mystery if you allow yourself options to discover new things.
Historical photography is one such option, you never know what story might lie behind that piece of paper. I would love to know more and now I do... tell yourself that.. with anything. Just asking the universe for that will start your quest for anything. Now go discover.
• • • • • • • • •
A wonderful Photographer named Julie and fellow blogger has a GREAT post with another wonderful poet's work about Trees.. she has graciously included one of my tinted glass negative photos of trees and I think its worth the trip to her blog to read the poem and see the beautiful chosen photos.
here is her link.

A Newsie Girl from Australia Glass Negative

This is one of a group of images I bought from Australia years ago. She is poking her head through a newspaper. This was a fashion trend for photography for probably a few years and I always thought it might be a cool thing to collect. The images are rarely found but this one is a glass negative and with such great details you can read the news.
SPeaking of news it seems more and more that the newspaper is on the way out as is everything that means sitting away from the computer and relaxing with a cup of tea or coffee and just perusing to see what is going on in the world and in the town. I am certain that the school of journalism where I got my degree has been revamped to accomodate the internet publishing world. It cannot be a good thing. As far as I am concerned there should always be a newspaper.. Now anything to do with a newspaper will be highly collectable so keep an eye out for this type of photo, its usually small.

Hibiscus Painted Photo on Canvas-My Trip to Hilo-The Many properties of Hibiscus

click this link to go see this blown up larger in my Etsy store
This was an original black and white photo that I printed out onto canvas and painted over with acrylics. I did this and one other very large painted photo of tulips on this large canvas that went through my printer. I still have a huge box of this canvas and have sworn yet another project to go back to and complete and that is my series of painted flowers on canvas. This is an image I took while living in Hawaii many years ago, actually Kaimuki which is next to Kahalla and only a bike ride of a mile to downtown Honolulu. I semi enjoyed living in this city, the nights were warm, sunsets wonderful and the food..incredible. I did have a daughter in 4th grade and itwas tough because even though she was social there was very little of the after school visiting for kids allowed. Sara was the only non asian child at her school so the kids loved her and she was like a toy to them, but the parents were not keen on allowing kids to play after school. She did have 3 good friends and they were chinese, hawaiian and a mixed hawaiian white girl named Holly. The other kids couldn't play, the parents were afraid of us. It was a good experience living there a year and I came to love the lore of the island and other things but would never move back.

My dearest friend lives in Hilo, now that is an island of a different nature. She is a teacher, her daughter attends the Catholic school(the public one was so horrible she had to take her out)and she is an organic gardener and photographer there and has many wonderful friends. She belongs to a goat milk coop and manages to get more than enough wonderful culture there and enjoys the life. I will go visit her there someday. I made a trip to Hilo about 6 years ago and stayed at the Mauna Lea. NOw if any of you ever go to Hawaii you have to go there. I still remember that oldest of all hotels and voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world. The soft and lulling hawaiin singing and music every night echoing into your room at dinner time. The teak floors and giant koi pond that runs the entire length of the hotel. It is in my estimate, paradise on earth for a tourist. IT is family oriented but also quiet at night. I took over 300 photos there on that island and my favorite spot was the orchid gardens in Hilo that you would miss if you are not careful as there are no markers on the road to tell you. It is a 5 acre path that winds to the sea and is overfilled with every orchid in the world. Your camera will be worn out when you leave. Another wonderful not to be missed spot is the museum that runs throughout the halls of the Hilton there which has artifacts from every polynesian island around the world and some of the best hand crafted things from almost pre historic age. Go see it!!
So this hibiscus is my memory along with all the other photos that are stored somwhwere on cd's of a trip that will never be forgotten. The best thing about Hawaii is that because the Island is so small you can circumnavigate in one day and see alot in a week. YOu should plan on having lots of time to just float in the warm waters doing nothing other than to absorb the sun and the sea and the call of Aloha!
Here are a few facts about the wonderful and multi faceted flower of hibiscus.
Many species are grown for their showy flowers or used as landscape shrubs. Hibiscus is also a primary ingredient in many herbal teas.

One species of Hibiscus, known as Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus), is extensively used in paper making. Another, roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is used as a vegetable and to make herbal teas and jams (especially in the Caribbean).

In Mexico, the drink is known as agua de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice. Dieters or persons with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic. It is made by boiling the dehydrated flowers in water; once it is boiled, it is allowed to cool and drunk with ice.[1]

In Egypt and Sudan, roselle petals are used to make a tea named after the plant karkade.

Hibiscus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes hibiscella, Hypercompe hambletoni, the Nutmeg moth, and the Turnip Moth.

The Hibiscus is used as an offering to Goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship. The Gumamela or Hibiscus rosa sinensis linn flower has antifungal, emmenagogue, emollient and refrigerant effect.[240]

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong fibers. They can be obtained by letting the stripped bark sit in the sea in order to let the organic material rot away. In Polynesia these fibers (fau, pūrau) are used for making grass skirts. They have also been known to be used to make wigs.

Hibiscus, especially white hibiscus, is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine, Ayurveda. Roots make various concoctions believed to cure various ailments.

The natives of southern India use the Red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) for hair care purposes. The red flower and leaves, extracts of which can be applied on hair to tackle hair-fall and dandruff on the scalp. It is used to make hair-protective oils. A simple application involves soaking the leaves and flowers in water and using a wet grinder to make a thick paste, and used as a natural shampoo. its petals are used to cure fever while its roots are used to cure cough.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

Dried hibiscus is edible, and is often a delicacy in Mexico.

The hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Hawaiian women. A single flower is tucked behind the ear. Which ear is used indicates the wearer's availability for marriage.

Pink Roses Painted Photo -For the people of ITaly

This is but a little section of a painted photo I did. The title will take you to the whole artpiece in my shop. This represents a little section of a greater whole. I did this for a tribute or a memorial to the little area of ITaly hit by the terrible earthquake. My heart goes out to everyone in the country but especially to those who are most affected by the loss of life and home.
Having lived through a bad earthquake in California where people died, you really never get over the loss of life and the destruction but almost immediately after the grief you rebuild again. I can imagine the outpouring all over Europe today and the world for these people. I extend my heartfelt feelings for them all..

French Window Shopping-Collage

This is a photo of course from a small town in France..isn't everything a small town in France. Actually a friend took the photo and I collaged in the women from an old advertisement. There were bottles of wine in the window originally.
I love the tone of the paint and the brick along the sidewalk. I need to go to France... fast! I would probably spend all my time taking photos.. and trying out the cheese and wine.
I might want to brush up on my French as its been years since I spoke any.
Note the movie stars in top row, Harrison Ford is in there and Jackie O and a few others. I didn't put those in the top.. they were already there!
Its Saturday evening and all things quiet after that big wind storm yesterday.. waiting to hear back how Rita did at the track meet.
I am really into Catherine Cookson films(based on her books). My sisters, Aunts, mom and I are watching them all in sync. I saw a really great one last night called, "The Wingless Bird" oh.. run, don't walk, and rent it... let me know if you liked it.. I know you will. I have seen almost all her films.. so good, excellent writer really!
Enjoy your Sunday as it is the last day of the week.

Queen of FLowers-Royal Queen-IS Anybody out there?

Here is a painted tintype I call "Queen of Flowers". I made this awhile back and will be listing it as a card on Etsy today.

So much talk about the queen last night. Michelle Obama put her arm around the queen..heaven forbid.. or should I say, protocol forbid. I found this pretty "touching" because Michelle is the new "queen" of Washington and the English Queen, well lets say she needs someone to give her a hug. Could be the first time in ages anyone has actually touched her body for the fear of being not acceptable in British "protocol". I love how something so simple as Michelle Obama changing her clothes on Air force One gives the news people fodder for talk for hours. I swear there must be something else they can be newsie about. Who cares.. I mean who really cares what Michelle is wearing, certainly not your average American woman who buys her clothes at Target or Macy's. The only folks who would know designers names are the people who shop for clothes that work at businesses such as bank executives who have so much money they don't know what to do with it and they don't watch the TV gossip news they are busy in the Cayman Islands lying on a cot in the sun.

I have really wanted the news people to wise up just a hair. Why do they try to deflect us from the real news such as the unemployment rate rising, the Chinese getting their act together to be the world leader in battery cars, the hideous crimes against women in the border towns of Mexico, the fact that all the sports programs were cut in the California schools making those kids who are already hyperactive from the sugary cereals even worse off than before so that when they come home all bundled with energy and loaded with homework they can spin out of control on their mom's who are trying to put together a nutritious meal from the vitamin depleted vegetables and the hormone induced meat that she picked up on her way home from working her 2ND job just to pay for the family's skyrocketing health insurance.

Is anybody out there? Helllloooo.. taking sports away from the schools. This is going to be a disaster for so many children and parents. I know because without sports in the schools how will kids stay healthy? WE have to pay $100 per sport here in Arizona which is alot of money but when you thinking about the value in terms of health and mental health.. really is there an option?

Lilacs in bloom taking the teacher some flowers from the yard

Here I am w all the things I need, sack lunch, jump rope and a giant bouquet of lilacs wrapped in wax paper for the teacher. This is under the tree in the front yard of my home on the farm. That blog entry below about my first home was just too drab an entry.. I tinted this one up and tried to take the devil grin off my face from having my photo taken straight into the sun with it blinding me from the glare. I know my mom made this wonderful dress.. wish I still had it now!

Our Simple Beginings-Where I was born

We might have a truckload of money, or a big fine car but for many of us middle Americans we had humble and simple beginings. This is the house I was born into after being brought home from Ardmore hospital in michigan. This was my parents first home after being married and I think they spent about a year and a few months before I was born. I was an inquisitive child and liked to touch everything. My mother said I was the earliest walker of all 11 children at the age of 9 months i was walking. Then came my brother Mike the following year and at that point I am sure having two children in this small house made my parents decide to move to the country. The homes were so close together and it was in a small town called Berkeley. This was my first humble begining and also the smallest home I ever lived in. After 8 years or so on the farm in New Hudson we moved back to a suburb called Southfield Estates. I think we bought the show home or the one that everyone looked at before they had theirs built. I think we got a deal on it, so it was "slightly used" but we made it our home and our family lived in it for another 15 years I think. I left when I graduated so that was in 1969 on to Philadelphia and then the farm.
I don't remember this home at all but just finding it among my old photos was such a thrill.

I also realized something that when looking through my photos that now due to digital photography most photos are printed on paper. The inks fade and then they are thrown away. Maybe that is why I am fascinated by actual photos because its almost as if history will not be recorded and shared and mulled over the way it is now. 20 or 40 years from now people will not look through their photo albums with their kids and show them photos of grandma marianne because the photos are no longer printed except some folks go to Walgreens and go that route but not many, they simply share as I am doing... over the internet.. Maybe those photos that mean alot to you should be printed out on real photo paper like in a darkroom on black and white mat paper, not glossy.

Take your time with photos. Look at them carefully. SEe which ones you really want to be around in the future.

Earl Bailey ~Lou HOyt~Ya Gotta have Heart!

Here is a photo of my mom's dad, Earl Bailey. I love his name. I loved him too but only for a short while. He died when I was small, about 8 years old. I remember my mom was expecting a baby and he died of cancer and she was so sad and crying. She said she went out to the barn to be alone and felt his presence there with words that whispered in her ear"don't worry you will be fine" or that is what I remember her saying. My mom was not much into mystical things and a very pragmatic person, so I do believe she heard his voice. I have thought about him now and again and actually have a pretty clear memory of him as a quiet man with a good sense of humor for making kids laugh. I think life was just too much for his sensitive soul and it was overwhelming the task of providing although he always worked so hard every day to make a living for my Grammy and the kids. He was an unfortunate man of the great depression we are hearing so much about these days. I don't know how people coped with the stress of not having money for food for their wives and kids. It seems that to make it through those times you had to be extremely tough and alas... Earl was not. I will always remember his smile although in this one he is not smiling but looking like he just got into trouble. His father was a very big man who had 5 kids and I think Earl was in the middle somewhere. I have a great photo of him sitting on a hand hewed wooden fence with all his siblings. I will try to find and post it soon.

Yesterday was my sister Peggy's birthday. Talk about a girl and woman who had the biggest heart. She died the day before her birthday 10 years ago, leaving 2 small girls, a victim to breast cancer. It was difficult for my parents and her husband and the little girls, and for all her siblings. But now her oldest is graduating from high school and has been accepted at Bryn Mahr and a host of other wonderful colleges. I know she is smiling down now on her and last night I felt her my heart.

Speaking of heart. As many might know, Rita is a very good athlete. She is now in track for the 4th year and is doing well. We are lucky enough in this small town to have a great!track coach, Harry Schneider from NY. He has coached and been connected to many Olympians. He has been an inspiration to all the kids on the team and especially to Rita. Last week there was a home meet on our new track and a friend who has been coming along for a couple years named Lou Hoyt (click his name to read a short article about Lou),came and stayed to help the kids by cheering them on. Lou was an Olympic high jumper and a top gun fighter pilot in Vietnam and got throat cancer. Lou survived and now his mission is to help kids overcome their fears and problems by lecturing on "strength and will in sports and life". At the last meet he was there and shaking hands with some of the kids and parents. I reached out my hand and introduced myself and told him I was Rita's mom. He looked at me with wide eyes and said,"When Rita was behind in the 300 hurdles and I was standing at the finish line, she moved forward at the end to take first place, it was her heart that did it. Rita has the heart of an Olympian." Honestly that meant more to me than anything else that day. He saw something in her that came out as a manifestation of having "heart" and I liked that so much!

So I guess my message or idea for the day is try to have heart with whatever you do. I am guessing it will mean so much more to everyone and mostly to you.