Sorry, Sorry, Sorry:
Thanks for caring. Thanks for your notes of concern. Thanks for missing my musings!

I was forced to take a break from this blog. I'm fine... just super-uper busy. I'm trying to complete a commission for 8 paintings -- 8 LARGE paintings -- for my brother's restaurant. They are almost finished and I will soon get my life back.

My daughter lands on U.S. soil today at 12:30 pm. Praise God! (My son-in-law returned the Monday before Thanksgiving.) Along with their return is the upcoming separation from my granddaughter, Little Miss M. I have been her sole guardian for the past 12 months. It will be bittersweet and my blogs in 2010 will probably contain lots of issues dealing with my loneliness -- so get ready!

In the meantime, "...have yourself a Merry Little Christmas." See you again in the New Year!

Honoring All Who Served:

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th, the anniversary of signing of Armistice that finished World War I. The main hostilities of World War I were properly finished at the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month of 1918 with Germany signing of the Armistice. "Armistice Day" became “Veterans Day” in 1954 as a result of legislation signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The name was changed to honor all who served the nation in wars or conflicts.

There are currently 24.5 million veterans in the United States -- of whom 1.7 million are women. The number of veterans who are age 65 or older is 9.5 million. There are 8.2 million Vietnam-era veterans, and 3.9 million who served during World War II.

On this Veterans Day, I want to honor a man who is honored by all the service men and women I know -- Gen. George S. Patton Jr. He was/is a soldier's soldier...

Patton Quotes:
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

"Better to fight for something than live for nothing."

"I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom."

"Prepare for the unknown by studying how others in the past have coped with the unforeseeable and the unpredictable."

"There is only one sort of discipline, perfect discipline."

"We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way."

"Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack."

"Always do everything you ask of those you command."

"Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best; it removes all that is base. All men are afraid in battle. The coward is the one who lets his fear overcome his sense of duty. Duty is the essence of manhood."

An Elephant In The Room:

I've decided I need an attitude adjustment. I'm in a funk. Have you ever had that kind of week? When you feel like you are free-falling into a deep hole? When you realize there isn't even a glimmer of light at the end of your dark tunnel? And you get a bad feeling that it's not going to end anytime soon? Well, that's where I am and I'm in a foul mood because of it. I am definitely not fun to be around.

It is paradigm shifting time. I woke up this morning and decided that I need a change. I refuse to waste one more moment on this gloom and doom mood. Thanksgiving -- my absolute favorite holiday -- will soon be here and I am missing all the fun of anticipating what's to come: outdoor walks in the beautiful Fall weather, once-a-year delicious Thanksgiving turkey and dressing and giblet gravy and cranberry salad, great college football, and the four-day luxury of being with those I love the most!

This morning before Miss M awoke, I sat down with a freshly brewed cup of jo and wrote a list of things that would help reframe my brain. The list ended up in two columns -- dos and don'ts. Number One on my list of "dos" was to find things that make me laugh... you know, "the best medicine." Bill Cosby's old comedy albums really crack me up... his routines can produce the laugh-so-hard-that-you-cry-and-pee-in your-pants kind of results. The Grandparents skit from the Bill Cosby Himself album, circa 1982, is epic. Surely this will jump start my change in attitude!

Lucy, I'm Home:

One of my family's Thanksgiving food traditions is a delicious gelatin salad made with fresh cranberries. It's a recipe that was handed down to me by my best friend Penny Ventura*.

I hope you'll give it a try. I know you'll love it as much as we do!

Penny’s Cranberry Salad
1 package (3 ozs) strawberry Jello
1 can (small like tuna) crushed pineapples, well drained
1 cup boiling water
1pkg fresh strawberries, cut-up
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup pecans halves that have been cut up
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, quartered
Dissolve Jello and sugar in boiling water. Add cranberries and let set for 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix pineapple, strawberries, and pecans. Add cranberry mixture and refrigerate overnight. Transfer to a pretty bowl (or to hollowed-out orange halves or hollowed-out pineapple half) and serve.

*After a courageous three-year-seven-month fight, Penny died of ovarian cancer on December 27, 1993. To find out more about the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, please CLICK HERE.

A Terrible Tragedy:

Fort Hood, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

The Movement You Need Is On Your Shoulder:

By now you know I love all things Beatles. Can't help it. Raised on it. Part of my DNA.

Although Hey Jude was written in 1968, for me it came to life in the Fall of 1970 and represents high school football. Every time I hear it I'm taken back in time to cool crisp autumn nights; the rustle of pom-poms; white knee socks with saddle oxfords; the combined smell of Woodhue, English Lavender, and Shalimar; and the thrilling feeling I got seeing cute boys in helmets and pads. My pep squad sang Hey Jude ad nauseam on the school bus as we rode to and from games. We sang it for what seemed like hours, for sure longer than the record's length -- 7 minutes and 11 seconds! We sang it over and over and over, always imparting our own ending: "...hey, hey, hey, Northwood High!" We sang it with anticipation before the game, with enthusiasm when we won, and with sadness like a death march when we lost.

I got this graph off the SWISSMISS blog... so cool.

California Dreamin':
My middle daughter has an art history assignment this weekend: to visit San Francisco's MOMA and view a current exhibit, "Matisse and Beyond: The Painting and Sculpture Collection." I am green with envy at her opportunity... and so disappointed that I can't experience it with her. I long to walk arm-in-arm with my sweet angel and be among the works of art produced by such amazing 20th-century masters as Henri Matise, Mark Rothko, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo ("I luff my monkeys."), Rene Magritte, Joan Mitchell, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol.

Think of all the places this art has been ... and all the people who have seen it...

Candy For Troops:
Wondering what to do with leftover Halloween candy? Operation Gratitude accepts candy for American troops who use it both for themselves and to give out to the children in the communities they patrol. All types of candy are acceptable, including chocolate this time of year. Ship candy by December 5 to Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard, 17330 Victory Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91406, Attn: Charlie Othold.
Details are at http://www.operationgratitude.com/.

The Wheel of Fortune:

My youngest daughter sings in a college choir and this weekend was their big, annual concert (which was wonderful!) The variety of songs held my interest and the choir's range is amazing, but one song selection took me by complete surprise. I mean, I wasn't expecting Gershwin and Berlin to be followed by German composer Carl Orff! It was odd but thrilling all the same. O Fortuna! (Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi) is in-your-face good. It is part of Orff's scenic cantata, Carmina Burana. The text was discovered in 1803 at the Monastery of Benediktbeuren near Munich as part of a collection of Latin poetry dating back to the 12th century and written by the Goliards, a group of wandering scholars, poets, performers, and clerics. Orff's music brilliantly captures the meaning and nature of the Wheel of Fortune, large and foreboding. The melody repeats itself over and over and over, mimicking the rotation of a wheel. O Fortuna opens with a pounding timpani and large chorus. It reminds me of a huge storm filled with elemental power and primitive forces. It is haunting and can scare the bejeezus out of you... making it perfect for the Halloween concert! The words are rather sad and at times somewhat suggestive. They speak of the struggle of love, hope and happiness, of Fortune against the cruelties of Fate. The translated lyrics are as follows:

O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
and then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty
and power
it melts them like ice.

Fate -- monstrous
and empty,
you whirling wheel,
you are malevolent,
well-being is vain
and always fades to nothing,
shadowed
and veiled
you plague me too;
now through the game,
I bring my bare back
to your villainy.

Fate is against me
in health
and virture,
driven on
and weighted down,
always enslaved.
So at this hour
without delay
pluck the vibrating strings;
since Fate
strikes down the string
everyone weep with me!

Purt Near Perfect:

I was trying to explain to a friend of mine why I schedule time to create. After a long conversation, I knew she would understand better if I shared with her a book I love, "a practical guide" called "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life" by Twyla Tharp. When mundane things fill my day, I've often experienced a sort of artistic writer's block. It seems that my mind gets so full of "things to do" and "daily chores" that I can't let go of the lists and produce even a straight line! So when I need to get off dead center, I use some of the creative exercises suggested in this book to jump-start my brain cells. I could never-ever be a Twyla Tharp (only in my dreams!) but simply reading about how she lives outside the box helps me shake myself and open my mind... it's like Boot Camp for creativity!

This Is My Message To You:

Dedicated to Meg ~ don't worry 'bout a thing, cause every little thing's gonnna be alright...

(B Is For Bob's Three Little Birds from Noggin... if you haven't heard this version or seen the video -- you are in for a treat. Consider it a gift.)

Swoon:

I am very happy with movies this year... so many great ones, and it looks like 2009 will end with a bang! One of the "bangs" will come on December 18 when The Young Victoria will open in limited release. Oh the stars: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany (my very favorite star hunk -- swoon, swoon), Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, etc. I hope the movie will be as fantastic as it deserves to be -- from the reviews I've read so far, it is!

Years ago when I saw the movie Mrs. Brown, I became intrigued with the life of Queen Victoria, especially her marriage to Prince Albert. Her husband's early death was her undoing and she fell into a deep depression, basically disappearing from public life. But it is incredible to note that her reign as Queen lasted 63 years and 7 months -- longer than any other British monarch before or since -- and longest of any female monarch in history! I've read "Queen Victoria: A Personal History" by Christopher Hibbert (which I highly recommend) and Victoria: The Young Queen by Monica Charlot. Alexandrina Victoria was an amazing woman!

Welcome To The Neighborhood:

Long story short: she put on the gas instead of the brake, went through the garage door AND the house... thought I would only see things like this on America's Funniest Videos. The new homeowners bought this house on Friday. Interesting remodeling job...

The Painter Of Light:

I'm sure everyone is familiar with the paintings of his ships at sea... most history books are filled with them. J.M.W. Turner (Joseph Mallord William Turner) -- the son of a barber and wig maker, and mother, Mary Marshall, a housewife -- was born in 1775 at Covent Garden in London. Turner received almost no general education but at 14 was already a student at the Royal Academy of Arts. In 1791 for the first time he exhibited two watercolours at the Royal Academy. He was a Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker, whose style is said to have laid the foundation for Impressionism. Turner was considered a controversial figure in his day, but is now regarded as the artist who elevated landscape painting to an eminence rivalling history painting. Although renowned for his oil paintings, Turner is also one of the greatest masters of British watercolour landscape painting. He is commonly known as "the painter of light." At the time of his death, Turner left some three hundred paintings and nineteen thousand watercolours to his credit.

The above painting, Mortlake Terrace (1827) is my favorite. A fashionable London suburb, Mortlake Terrace lies next to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, visible here on the distant bend of the River Thames. This is one of a pair of views commissioned by the owner of a town house, The Limes, named after the magnificent lime trees lining its terrace. Both scenes portray the blazing disk of the sun, flashing a reflection from the stone parapet. This painting looks west over the garden at sunset after the children have abandoned their toys. A black dog barks at the Lord Mayor’s flag-decked barge. This dark accent, which enhances the summer evening’s hazy paleness, was a last-minute addition. Just before the Royal Academy show opened in 1827, Turner cut the dog out of paper, stuck it onto the wet varnish, and touched it up with highlights and a collar... now that's modern!

My Cousin Wayne:

"This is the third book we have written together, though separately we have written others... But to say ‘written separately’ makes no sense, for when two lives have been bent for so many years on one central enterprise -- in this case, gardening -- there really is no such thing as separately.”
With these words, renowned garden designers, my cousin Wayne Winterrowd (on the left pictured above) and his life partner Joe Eck, begin their fascinating, new book, Our Life In Gardens. It is a deeply moving book about the life and garden they share, North Hill. It contains much sound information about the cultivation of plants and their value in the landscape, and invaluable advice about their area of expertise: garden design. There are chapters about the various parts of their garden, and sections about particular plants -- roses and lilacs, snowdrops and cyclamen -- and vegetables. They also discuss the development of their garden over time, and the dark issue that weighs more and more on their minds: its eventual decline and demise. Our Life in Gardens is a deeply satisfying perspective on gardening, and on life.

Sweat Equity:

I've decided that I must not be producing Aphrodisin -- you know, the protein that is tightly bound to my pheromones, the real chemical signals that say "come to me!" I haven't been "hot" lately so I guess men aren't responding to my airborne sexual sweat messages. God knows I haven't been going around sniffing male armpits! And since I don't have periods anymore, I'm not susceptible to the McClintock Effect either (the pheromones that readjust women's menstrual cycles so that they are in sync with each other). Did you know that your VNO -- vomeronasal organ also known as Jacobson's organ -- is located between your nose and mouth... it is the first stage of your accessory olfactory system which is the pheromone receptor. So if pheromones are the clue to the compelling mystery of attraction between men and women, why isn't more research done to measure this form of sexual chemistry? Doesn't it stand to reason that spraying yourself with a delightful-smelling, pheromone-filled perfume might be easier than stuffing yourself with oysters? Just wondering.

Set Your Piggies Free:

I can't help it -- today it's raining AGAIN! and I needed something good to get my day started... needed to get in the right frame of mind to battle the "dark sky blues." For me, it doesn't get any better than Elmo and Ricky. You've probably seen this before, me too, but I never get tired of it and it always makes me laugh!

I became a huge fan of Ricky Gervais back in 2002 and have been watching his career ever since. I haven't seen The Invention of Lying yet -- waiting to see it with my youngest daughter who shares my sense of humor. Maybe this weekend? Can't wait!

Simple Man:

While listening to the soundtrack to Almost Famous on my ipod, I reviewed the album's list of songs. It's been a long, long time since I'd seen the movie and had forgotten how many really wonderful songs were included: Tiny Dancer (of course!), I've Seen All Good People, Slip Away, Feel Flows, America, and so on. But the one that jumped out at me was Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man. The message made me think of a young man I know (Robert) and his wise mother. What lyrics! I can't stop thinking about the powerful words...

"Mama told me, when I was young

Come sit beside me, my only son.

And listen closely, to what I say.

And if you do this

It will help you some sunny day.

Oh, take your time...

Don't live too fast,

Troubles will come, and they will pass.

Go find a woman and you'll find love,

And don't forget son,

There is Someone up above.

And be a simple kind of man.

And maybe some day you'll love and understand.

Baby, be a simple kind of man.

Won't you do this for me son, If you can?

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold

All that you need is in your soul,

And you can do this if you try.

All that I want for you my son, Is to be satisfied.

Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.

Follow you heart and nothing else.

And you can do this if you try.

All I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied."

Fall Madness:

It is a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L day! The sun is shining and there is a slight breeze in the crisp autumn air. Yep, I would call this Fall day absolutely glorious. Wish I could bottle it! There is rain in the forecast, but I don't care because I can bask in today's beauty. God is good, all the time.

SLC:

Four and a half years ago today, my husband died. He was only 52 years old. We were high school sweethearts -- we began dating when he was 16 and I was 15. We dated for 5 years, and had been married over 30 years. He was half my soul... dimidium animae meae.

So much has happened since he died that I can hardly wrap my mind around it. It literally takes my breath away.

"Where you used to be there is a hole in the world which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell." -Edna St. Vincent Millay

Shot in the Dark:
I had a flu shot Monday morning and that night I was wracked with fever and chills. I was so spent on Tuesday that I could barely lift my head. If that's what people feel like when they have the Swine Flu, all I can say is God bless 'em!

Howdy Stranger:

Can't wait till this weekend! I'm going to one of my favorite restaurants, Tillman's Roadhouse. It's located in Dallas' Bishop Arts District, and is exactly the kind of place I would love to own if I owned a restaurant: cute boys dressed in pearl-buttoned western shirts by Billy Reid; wooden "taxidermy" heads hanging from damask wall panels; saddle leather topped stools; an over-sized, aqua-velvet tufted-chesterfield couch; a movie projector in the bar (usually playing Giant); over-sized crystal chandeliers; plush banquettes and ceiling-tall drapes; fantastic bartenders and fantastic drinks; creative and oh-so-delicious food offerings like popcorn drizzled with truffle oil and hot peanuts both served in darling bird-decorated-over-sized pewter spoons... Trio of Fries (Parmesan black pepper kennebec fries, chili dusted purple peruvian fries and smoked salt scented sweet potato fries with housemade catsup and horseradish pickle mayo)... Venison Frito Pie... The Big Sexy (house-ground foie gras-sirloin burger with tomato, and lettuce or with caramelized shallots, melted brie and madeira aioli)... Grilled Pork Chop (with dallas goat cheese-coffee polenta)... or how about S'mores Table Side (made-from-scratch orange, maple and coffee marshmallows with cinnamon grahams and dark chocolate bark complete with fire and skewers!) There's so much more... Have I made you hungry yet? Ya, I know!

"Tillman's is an update on the classic Texas roadhouse. Regional menu favorites, familiar tunes, no-one is a stranger hospitality — all energized with a modern take."

Perfect Poppers:

My youngest daughter is coming home for Fall Break, and my brother, his daughter-in-law and granddaughter are coming to town for a weekend visit. So Friday night before we load in the car and head over to a favorite restaurant, I'm going open a bottle of good Zinfandel and serve Blue Cheese Popovers with fig preserves and walnuts on the side. So easy and oh-so-good... thank you, Martha Stewart!

Blue Cheese Popovers
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 T butter (melted and cooled)
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper (freshly ground)
1 1/4 cup blue cheese
1 T fresh thyme (leaves only, chopped)

In a large bowl, use a whisk and combine all ingredients, whisking as you add each one. Cover the bowl and refrigerate OVERNIGHT. The next day, whisk again a little and then pour into mini-muffin tins that have been buttered. Fill to the top of each muffin well. Put rack at highest level and in a preheated 425° oven, bake for 20 minutes till they “pop” and are brown and crusty. Best served hot from the oven!

Colorstrology:

I'm still working with my brother on signage for the new restaurant. My task today is to convert the designer's collection of interior paint colors into PMS colors. (The Pantone Matching System allows designers to "color match" specific colors when a design enters production stage -- regardless of the equipment used to produce the color. This system has been widely adopted by graphic designers, reproduction and printing houses for a number of years now.)

Did you know that Pantone combined with Colorstrology expert Michele Bernhardt to determine a Color of the Year? "Mimosa" (PMS 14-0848) is THE color for 2009. I wasn't even aware that there was such a thing! Where have I been? "Pantone, which provides color standards to design industries, specifically cites mimosa, a vibrant shade illustrated by the flowers of the mimosa tree as well as the brunch-favorite cocktail, as its top shade of the new year, but the company, in general, believes the public will embrace many tones of optimistic yellow. In a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow. The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.”

So, it's Mimosa, as in orange-hued yellow. Not black to symbolize the dismal housing market, ongoing war in Iraq, and perils of global warming. Not beige to represent the hesitation with which fashion designers are creating their collections, fearful that shoppers won't buy anything that's too out there. But yellow. Searingly sanguine yellow. Mimosa "represents hope and optimism," reports British Vogue.

As much as I want to rally against choosing a color the world doesn't feel on the inside right now, I have to hand it to Pantone -- they've embraced a year of change. Wonder what 2010 will bring... Still, I think I'm going to stick to drinking my champagne and orange juice rather than wearing it!

With Chisel In Hand:

It's raining again -- lots of dark skies and blue days -- so I've been trying to concentrate on things that make me smile. Will Kautz' American Folk Art woodcarvings make me smile. I'm drawn to his artistic sense of humor. And his life story is truly inspirational.

Will's father, William Charles Kautz was a fine artist in New York and creativity was an important part of Will's home environment. He remembers sculpting marble beside his dad when he was still a boy. But as a young man, Will was often torn between a drive to be creative and a desire to do something for the vulnerable in society. In 1980, he entered seminary and earned a M.A. in theology and ethics and was later appointed as a Research Fellow at Yale University. In 1985 he began full-time law school with a young family and no money. At this time, Will began to carve. Initially, he hoped merely to pay a few tuition bills with whatever he could earn from his art, but within a few weeks, his designs began to sell a quickly as he could produce them. The first year law student would study by day and carve by night. Three years later, Will completed law school and passed the Vermont bar exam. For the next ten years, Will maintained a volunteer law practice for victims of domestic violence while supporting his family with his art. Through the years, Will has sold his work to numerous galleries and collectors around the world. His art has been displayed at the Museum of American Folk Art, the Shelburne Museum and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He has been chosen by Early American Homes magazine for its annual Director of America's Best Traditional Craftsmen, and is a juried member of traditionalfolkart.com.

Harp In The Mouth Trick:

Rick Estrin 's music is another thing that makes me smile. He's known as one of the very best harp players, singer/songwriters in the blues world today.

He looks cool too. He wears 1940s suits, a thin moustace, Elvis-style pompadour, and Roy Orbison-style tinted glasses.

"When you talk to any of the top harmonica players, they will immediately name Rick as one of the best guys in the world,” says Bruce Iglauer, owner and founder of Alligator, the premiere blues record label. "The showmanship has sometimes taken people’s focus off what a great musician he really is,” Iglauer says.

True South:

I called my hometown in Louisiana yesterday (no, not Bon Temps!) to talk to a guy at a sign company about a logo I've developed for my brother and nephew's new restaurant. Never spoken to this guy, don't know him, never met him. After we discussed business, I told him I'd get him the vector file as soon as possible and he said, "Okay, thank you, darlin'." That made me smile all day. I wasn't offended the least little bit. I knew he wasn't being fresh. He wasn't being a male chauvinist, and it wasn't sexual harassment. He was just being friendly. He was just being Southern.

Other things about the South that make me smile:

People waving... in the South, people like to wave. They wave hello, they wave goodbye, and they wave just to let you know that they saw you. Whether you're driving in town or down a country road, anyone passing by will get a wave. It's just the friendly thing to do!

Small talk... Southerners love to chat. If you're running errands, make sure you allot yourself time for chit-chat. From the grocery store to the local cafe, you will find someone who wants to chat.

Commonly used phrases and sayings:

"Y'all" -- means "you all," everyone, or every one of you

"Fixin' to" -- as in "fixin' to go to the store;" "fixin' to leave;" "fixin' to come;" sounds funny but "fixin' to" makes perfect sense!

"Younguns" -- small children

"Reckon" -- means "I suppose so"

"Yonder" -- as in "over yonder," which means "over there"

Jai Ho:

My youngest daughter wants to attend a college module this summer in Northern India exploring the traditions and teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. She'll study under several high lamas, visit temples and shrines, and establish an email and face-to-face relationship with a Tibetan monk. Sounds interesting, but the Catholic school girl/Presbyterian woman in me has lots of questions and doubts. Looks like I need a spiritual guide!

Whistle While You Work:

"With her backpack as her favorite tool, Mimi travels throughout

the United States discovering new motifs to paint en plein air."

Sounds romantic, doesn't it? While I do love working with natural light, I don't love painting outside. As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything more painful... the bugs, the sweat, the squinting, the lugging, the inconvenience of it all. I say throw out the pochade box! Give me an over-stuffed cushion on a cozy couch, a great big tabletop, an electrix halogen lamp, layers of shelving stacked with art supplies, immediate access to files and art board, the loo and a sink right around the corner, music at my fingertips, AC or heat as needed, and I'm a happy camper!

(Pictured above is Henri Matisse at work in his bed!!!)

Journaling:

I wish I could remember where I got this, but I didn't write it down!

"By the time we graduate from high school, we will have learned and forgotten several million facts. Most facts were worthy of forgetting, but writing them down keeps the most important ones. In your journal write the lessons you have learned, the good that you do, the good that happens to you, insights, successes and mistakes.

Consider each day, then review to see how you are doing. When you consider the day, encourage yourself with your successes and bring the mistakes into perspective."

Playing For Change:

My sister sent this today for my viewing pleasure! Did you happen to see it last October? If so, I'm sure you won't mind seeing it again!

Documentary producer Mark Johnson traveled around the world filming musicians "in an effort to foster a new, greater understanding of our commonality." He created a new mix in which essentially the performers are all performing together — worlds apart. So sit back and enjoy Stand By Me brought to you via Santa Monica, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Barcelona, Spain; Moscow, Russia; The Congo; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Zuni, New Mexico; Gugulethu, Umlazi and Mamelodi, South Africa; Pisa, Italy; Caracas, Venezuela; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"This song says, uh, no matter who you are, no matter where you go in your life, at some point you're gonna need somebody to stand by you..." Thanks, Patty.

His Mind Was A River Of Gold:

Moral virtues come from habits.
They are not in us by nature, nor despite nature.
We are furnished by nature a capacity for receiving them,
and we develop them through habit.
These virtues we acquire first by exercising them.

Whatever we learn to do,
we learn by actually doing it —
men become builders by building
and harp players by playing the harp.

In the same way, by doing just acts, we become just.
By doing self-controlled acts, we become self-controlled.
And by doing brave acts, we become brave.

—Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC)

I Just Count The Wings:

Every time I see anything by Charley Harper I smile... I can't help it. His work is filled with nature and science. It is optimistic and full of promise. It is beautiful and whimsical.

When asked to describe his unique visual style, a style he called "minimal realism," Mr. Harper responded, "When I look at a subject -- wildlife or nature -- I don't see the feathers in the wings. I don't count the feathers, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced, without trimming or unutilized parts; and herein lies the lure of painting, in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe."

For Christmas this year, I want Santa to bring me a copy of "The Giant Golden Book of Biology: An Introduction to the Science of Life," (c1961) by Gerald Ames and Rose Wyler; Illustrated by Charley Harper (1922-2007). That would make me smile a lot!

Ah, Pizza:

There was a shift in plans for my birthday night -- the babysitter was a no-show. Anyway, we did end up seeing "Bright Star" (a beautiful but profoundly sad movie, take lots o' tissues!) and instead of my favorite restaurant, we ate at a nearby "wine bar." Really good wine. My sea scallops were just so-so, but my bestest friend Betsy ordered a Pear and Gorgonzola Stone-Fired Pizza which was oh-so delicious!

I've been looking for a similar recipe, and I think I've found it:

Pear and Gorgonzola Pizza

16 ozs. pizza dough crust

3 comice or bosc pears (sliced and caramelized*)

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar

2 large sweet, Vidalia onions (thinly sliced and caramelized**)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella

8 oz. tub of Gorgonzola cheese

1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To caramelize pears > melt butter in medium skillet on medium heat. Add pears. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Cook 4-5 minutes until sugar has melted and pears are evenly covered with sugar mixture. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

To caramelize onions > heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Toss to coat well, then cover pan. Cook until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and set aside.

Press pizza dough into greased pizza pan. Prick dough with a fork and brush lightly with olive oil. Mix all three cheeses together in a bowl, leaving some Gorgonzola to sprinkle on top at the end. Sprinkle the cheese on the dough. Next layer the onions, then the pears, and sprinkle the remaining Gorgonzola cheese. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Remove from oven, grind some fresh pepper, scatter with the toasted walnuts and drizzle with honey. Slice into squares or wedges and serve... Ah!

A Thing of Beauty:

Hello, it's my birthday and I've got a babysitter for tonight. My friends are taking me "anywhere I want to go." Just getting out of the house and spending an evening in adult conversation will be special enough (Little M has been sick this whole week), but celebrating a birthday allows one to be completely selfish and gives license to do exactly what one wants to do. I think we'll inbibe and have appetizers at Cafe Toulouse first [my drink: Pimm's Cup; my picks: Humboldt Fog, honeycomb, nuts & fresh figs; Wild Mushroom Vol-au-Veni; Lobster Bisque; Green Room Mussels; and Grand Marnier souffle] and then see a movie -- specifically "Bright Star" -- Jane Campion's Cannes winning, beautiful film about John Keats and Fanny Brawne... I can't wait!!! "A thing of beauty is a joy forever..."

The Flower Duet:

My all time favorite song is "Viens, Mallika, les lianes en fleurs..." from the opera "Lakme" by Leo Delibes -- popularly known as The Flower Duet. For my birthday about twenty years ago, my husband gave me a CD of opera arias. One aria immediately struck a chord with me; one that I had never heard before. The Flower Duet is haunting and beautiful and lush. "...given over to the 1880's fashion for exoticism, the delicate orchestration and melodic richness earned Delibes a success with his audiences." Much to my dismay, years later he was thrilled that it had been included in the soundtrack to one of his favorite movies, True Romance. Oh well...

Cowboy Lingo:
As I've said before, I've lived all over -- the product of being a military brat. But I've lived most my life in Texas and Louisiana -- two states that have their own language. Seriously, when you cross the state line either way, it's like crossing into a different country. Today, let's talk about Texas (and I'm not talking about speaking Spanish.) In large cities like Dallas and Houston, people don't know much about the western way of life. They're too sophisticated (city-fied) plus the populations are full of "out-of-towners." In smaller Texas towns though, there are pockets of people who still speak authentic Cowboy Lingo. And it bothers me that the language is dying. Blame it on TV or the Internet, globalization, or whatever, it's happening and it's sad. If you've never had an opportunity to carry on a conversation with a cowboy, you are really missing something. The language is colorful and meaningful and honest. There's no putting on airs or showing off, it is thoughtful and sincere.

Look at Legends of America, Old West Legends. As you read the "old slang, lingo and phrases," don't be put off by thinking that people really don't talk that way, or that it is ridiculous or made up... these are the real McCoy.
Here's just a few examples:
They ate supper before they said grace (they're living in sin)
Toad choker (a heavy rain)
Big hat, No cattle (All talk and no action)
Tighter than bark on a tree (not very generous)
He looks like the dog's been keepin' him under the porch (not a very handsome man)
Airin' the lungs (cussing)
Rattle your hocks (hurry up)
Mashed (in love)
Tear squeezer (sad story)
Pig trail (small road)
Grassed (to be thrown from a horse)
Snapped (drunk)
Indian side (the right side of a horse)
Jollification (scene of merriment)
Wattles (ears)
Love apples (canned tomatoes)

A Survivor:

Albert Alcalay survived a concentration camp during the Holocaust, then became a jazz-influenced abstract painter and ultimately a Harvard professor. "His early European work was expressionist in nature, but with his move to the urban landscapes of the U.S. in the 1950s, and death of a dear friend, Alcalay was forced to find a new visual language, one that was fluid and often informed by the events of his life, including the loss of his eyesight late in life." Alcalay was an amazing man and an amazing painter.

Booga Booga:

I'm trying to decide what color to paint the backdoor to the garage. No one will see this door but me... still, I'm having a hard time deciding. I could be conservative and paint it the same color as the door to the backyard -- "Lambert Green" by Jones-Blair Paint Company, a beautiful gray-spruce green created in the 1950's by Dallasite Joe Lambert Jr. Or I could be thrifty and use leftover paint I have sitting around. But what I was thinking about was going back to my Louisiana roots and painting it "Haint Blue." After all, blue is my favorite color and Haint Blue is thought to have mystic qualities -- like Cajun Voodoo!

For centuries in all parts of the world, it's believed that painting the home's doors, trim, shutters, or porch ceiling, will keep the Haints away. A "Haint" is a restless, evil spirit of the dead that hasn't moved on from their physical world. And above all, Haints are not friendly! Blue paint is used to resemble water... and as we all know, Haints can't cross water! Using blue paint fools Haints, and painting the home's openings discourage them from "crossing" into the house!

Some believe that using blue paint on a home helps keep bugs away. The blue reminds flies, bees, wasps, and mosquitoes of the sky, and supposedly they won't hang around or build a nest near the color blue. There's Gullah Blue, Dutch Boy Blue, Dirt-Dauber Blue, and what they call it in Louisiana -- "That Blue Color Mosquitoes Hate."

The actual shade of "Haint Blue" varies. It can range from a pastel violet-blue, such as a periwinkle, to a rich shade of warm turquoise, and everything in between. I'm not sure what exact shade I want to use. Maybe I need to consult the local paranormal society to find out what shade of blue keeps garage Haints away!

Pollyanna's prisms:

I am not going to complain about the rain, rain is good... although it has been raining non-stop for over two weeks and my geraniums have gone to rot! Rain is good. It's been a great relief from the blazing hot sun and months and months of one-hundred-plus-degree heat. It has washed everything clean again, even my car. Rain is good, I love the rain. But rainbows are even better.

On our road trip to North Carolina last month, it rained most of the way there and all of the way back. Sometimes it just drizzled and sometimes it rained so hard I could barely see the car in front of me. But what I'll remember most about the Summer of 2009's rainy season is the magnificent rainbow we saw outside Birmingham. It was on August 28, my Mother's 81st birthday. Around six o'clock, the rain had settled to a steady drip and as we crested a hill, there it appeared in all its beauty. It was as big as a mountain and shone bright in the setting sun. It had been a long, long time since I'd seen a rainbow. I had almost forgotten what a wonder it is. My Mother and I saw it at the same time, and in unison we cried, "Look!" We marveled at how bold the colors were and what a vast amount of land it covered. She seemed pleased when I reminded her it was her birthday. She smiled and said, "Not everyone gets a rainbow for their birthday!"

"Why, Mr. Pendergast, how did you do that!," breathed Pollyanna, her fascinated eyes on the brilliant band of colors across the wall. "It's prismatic reflective light," huffed Mr. Pendergast, "Don't you know anything?" "Isn't it beautiful?" exclaimed Pollyanna, "Like a real rainbow came in to pay you a visit!"

Wonderful:
After kissing her Mommy and Daddy goodnight, Little M and I climbed the stairs and headed to my bedroom for "nigh-night." Since she was booted out of the den to let the adults watch football on TV, Little M's nightly viewing of her favorite show, Wonder Pets, was interrupted. To soothe her already upset emotions, I doubled up the pillows behind her back, fluffed the comforter around her, and turned on my bedroom TV to the Noggin channel. Instead of lying prone on the bed, I doubled up some pillows for my back and sat down next to her. After a few minutes, she pulled her tiny hand out from under the covers and felt for mine. There we sat, side by side in the dark, holding hands and watching "Linny, Tuck and Ming-Ming too." A few more minutes passed. Quietly, in her small sweet, lisping voice she said, "Nan, you're my best friend." I was so taken aback I didn't know how to respond. Tears filled my eyes and I got all choked up. I sat still trying to think of something to say, wondering what train of thought led this little 28-month-old to make such a statement. Finally I replied simply, "You're my best friend too." And at that moment I realized -- she really was.

Jimmy, Oh Jimmy! Oh, What Joy:

How have I lived in Dallas for almost 25 years and not known about Jimmy's Food Store? It's at the end of lower Greenville off Bryan, so finding it was an adventure in itself! It was worth the drive though, and I'll be back time and time again. It's everything a small, neighborhood, Italian grocery store should be... and more. My senses were overloaded -- the smells, the sights, the tastes... I know I was in Texas but it felt like New York City. Jeff helped fill my bag with lusciousness: Piedmont Gorgonzola, Lombardy Taleggio, Provolone Sardo, Prosciutto Di Parma, Mortadella with Pistachios, Porchetta (yum!), Sopressata, Cannolis, and fig preserves. My next visit will include a dip into their unbelievable wine selection... and maybe I'll sign up for one of their weekly wine tasting dinners!