Good Deeds

There is a lot of community involvement at First Baptist. This morning people from the church helped at several locations around town. I was with a large group that at least started to clean and fix up a small old building that takes care of at risk kids after school. I felt like I was part of a crew for Extreme Home Makeovers! I admit that mostly it was the men who did the big stuff, replacing roofing, spreading concrete for a basketball court, installing window air conditioners, and repairing doors, but we girls were pretty good with the soapy towels and organizing. It was a good team building activity for my Sunday School class, and thankfully the weather was pretty.

Quilt Show

There are many beautiful and finely sewn quilts in town this weekend from all over the state and elsewhere. They range in size from fitting a king sized bed to being actual postcards. Some are in  traditional patterns and others could be described as good art.

 

Wilm's Coast Guard Ship

Across the river at sunset

Wilmington Native

This nice sculpture of Venus Fly Traps is at the end of Market Street at the Cape Fear River.

Fountain in front of mansion

Not painted by me but with an app. "Digitally enhanced photography."

the wall is down

Long ago when I tried oils, I was not a good painter. Now at this stage in my life, I have been wanting to give painting another try, but this time I decided to use acrylics. But I just couldn't get going, couldn't put brush to canvas. Last week in my abstract painting class, I used three big canvases to spread on long swipes of color, and it did what I hoped it would do. It freed up my brain to paint! Yesterday I went to my studio and painted on my own. I kicked off my flip flops, sang along to Roberta Flack, and for the first time I painted away at my easel. Was that fun! I believe I have taken the first step. If I keep it up, I will eventually paint something blog worthy.

Random pix from today's arty experience

I have been immersing myself in art this week. Each experience brings me a little closer to understanding what it is and what it isn't. Today I went to a studio out in the country about an hour from Wilmington for the opening of a cool new exhibit. Thankfully the weather was pretty as most of the socializing, wandering, and snacking was done outside. Here are a few pix I snapped with my iPhone.

The fountain in front of the church

VWs

From May on, Wilmington buzzes with activities. One event downtown Saturday was a car show, hence these pics of Volkswagens that I had to take.

From the beach to the car

pic 5/16

I am going to (try to) make myself take pictures regularly even if I don't write anything. This is on Airlie Road.

Nothing could be finer.

Starting

Hopefully this easel will hold more than my visor one of these days. I must say however that I am more than thrilled to have sold a photograph this morning during open studios. 

what I did today

Today was primary election day, and I voted for some good candidates in my party. I was appalled however that I was not required to show any form of identification. In SC where I have voted since I was twenty-six, I had to show my ID. As I started to pull out my ID today, the poll worker said that she only needed to know my name. Then she checked her database and asked my address. I asked if I could come back saying I was someone else after I voted. Apparently I could if I knew the address. No wonder there is so much fraud!

Then I went to the studio, which is in a big old building with other studios, artists, and a big area for events such as the one that started today, an art show and competition. The artists who participated had to have their work in by two pm as that was when the judging started. It was so much fun to watch the judge go around and look at all the pieces, make selections, then narrow them down to the winners. Artists from The ArtWorks did great. I am in good company, if I ever start painting that is. Way to go, Us.

yesterday's find

Yesterday as the golden hour approached, I thought I would look around the yard, like I used to do in Greenville, to see if there was anything interesting to photograph. The weather was still pretty and the foliage looked nice, but my impressive find was a large turtle sitting under the shade of some fresh green lily leaves. Good grief! That thing was at least ten to twelve inches long with its head inside the shell. Since we are on a marsh, I left it alone, hoping it would find its way back where it came from.

through a pine

all in the name of charity

On Friday evening, I was a docent at at a lovely designer show house. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it after hearing in training the restrictions imposed on us, but it was great fun.

The large and well built home from the seventies had sat vacant in its tree shaded location for a couple of years until this redo by a bevy of design teams, bringing it to the beauty standards of 2014. Now for about three weeks it will be available for the public to see. Proceeds go to the arts.

As the sun was setting over Wilmington, another docent and I were posted on the expansive front porch to greet the attendees at the opening party. Our mission was to take the ticket stubs and then politely request all who entered, before stepping a foot inside the place, to cover their shoes with paper booties, the kind people working in the OR wear. 

As this was a formal event, the women were dressed elegantly, and as my friend commented, "They didn't get those dresses in Wilmington." But even fancier were their sparkly, toe baring high heels. When given the bad news about the booties, just about all the women moaned, "You mean I have to cover my cute shoes?" I felt like such a party pooper, but that was the law from above. The one size fits all blue paper shoe covers were not made for five inch heels. Neither did they fit well over the men's Italian loafers, but they made do.

Everyone who came was so nice and chatty with us, and I enjoyed some good short conversations. And though we were able to steal away to the food prep area in the garage for only a few minutes, we did get to sample the delicious dishes that were prepared for the guests.

I will be a docent there again before it ends.

Here's an iPhone pic. The only one I took. 

blooming now

When the landscape crew comes around, I feel as if I am living a life of luxury. Though I love being outside, it is wonderful not to have the responsibility of taking care of a yard. This morning the group of quickly working Hispanics edged around my driveway and walk. Last week they placed pine needles under all the bushes and even in my little back yard around the soon-to-bloom day lilies. I checked it all out this morning and saw several budding and blooming plants, this azalea for one. Azaleas are so beautiful, and they are like the signature of Wilmington. Life is good.