East Coast Vacation Odds and Ends

Well here is a belated selection of odds and ends from our trip back east to visit my family. We were there for the heat wave. Managed to do some fun stuff anyhow. My sister Maureen was there with her two kids visiting from Colorado and we met our brother Mike in Nyack NY for lunch and to wander around this cute little town on the Hudson river (where we used to go to drink as teenagers because the drinking age was a year younger) I didn't go crazy with the camera this time so all the other siblings visits aren't covered but It really was nice to see everyone.

Here is a kooky little grocery bag sketch playing with my Dad's Conte' crayons and graphite.
The hottest day of all we went into the city (just worked out that way) to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I made the incorrect assumption that there is no photography allowed and there actually is. I borrowed my sister's camera for a few shots of things I just really liked for one reason or another. The above couple really caught my eye. Jim and I are collaborating on a folding arched altar type piece now for a show at the Ventura County Museum of Art and I was on the lookout for inspiration.
This little girl just had such a funny lovable face. And I imagined she was just praying for someone to please finish this cross stitch for her.
Just liked this face......
Above a resaurant in Nyack. I liked this whole display of skellies having a party.
The bunch of us a sandwich shop/ bakery.

The sweets were much better looking than tasting.

Happy Memorial Day weekend and Dog gone

Sorry to say we have loved and lost. Jim and I found Chico on thursday the perfect dog. It only took us two days to fall in love and also two days to confirm that Jim was allergic. We had to bring him back yesterday and we both wept. Hard to believe I could feel so sad after only 48 hours. If you are looking for the sweetest mellowest of doggies please go get this dog. (and then I can visit him). I suppose we will try again but right now I feel so sad and afraid of going through this again - and putting another dog through it again.

Well I just came across this photo that I will say probably has little to do with Memorial Day or what it is about. But I just loved all those little kids with all the older generation together. Remember how exiting it was when you were a kid and your Grandparents were coming to visit? And how equally exiting it often is for them as well. I think I'm just feeling nostalgic.

Nowadays the elderly are too often alone in a rest home and the kids are alone with the television or video games.

Shadow Box

Hello and welcome to what should be another beautiful weekend. (If you are in this area anyway. If not then sorry to rub it in your face, you can always come visit). I just finished the last shadow box. (Time to get more of these little frames). It's one of the medium sized with a gold leaf sky.
There is a new little doggie here in the room with me as I post this but I'm hesitant to say to much or even add photos as we have until Sunday to decide if he's a good match. So far he's VERY mellow, sleeps a lot, seems somewhat interested in the chickens and most importantly Jim may be slightly allergic. Hope it works out. Or not if I'ts not meant to be. (Yikes. How does one know for sure?j!)

Doggie Dog World

Or is the saying Dog eat Dog? Well obviously with my mind being where it is lately it's more of a doggie dog world. Jim and I have been thinking, looking and trying to adopt a dog. I am 46 and have never in my life had a dog. I have always had allergies and Jim too has been allergic. (I was even allergic to cats too and we had them in the house when I was growing up, just lots of sniffling going on.)

Anyhow after meeting my sister's Malti-Poo about a year ago and discovering we weren't allergic to it we have been thinking of getting a furry friend of our own.

Here are are a selection of doggish friends from the easel to help get put the good dog vibes out there. After twice having two different dogs we went to the shelter to hopefully get we have come home empty handed. (The last time there were 4 people after the same one dog!)

Anyhow after bringing a bunch of work to the Santa Barbara Arts Gallery, Lynn the owner mentioned a friend who does poodle rescue. By the time I got back to Ojai the woman had left a message on my machine about a dog she thinks will fit right in.

I am going up to get him and bring him home for a visit on Thursday.

wish us all luck together.

Forgot to hit the spellcheck button on my first post. What a way to start.... Here are a couple paintings I did for a customer who was interested in getting a painting but her favorite had already sold. I liked the general theme enough to go ahead and do a couple more along similar lines. She picked her favorite of the two.