Miss Maggie

Movie Day

There is only one movie out right now that I really wanted to see, The Greatest Showman. It is playing at the nice new theater only two miles from my house, so I easily popped in to see it. And cheaply, too. For the 11:00 show, it was only six dollars! It is a musical, in case you didn't know, and I really enjoyed it. If you read a bad review, don't believe it. I snapped a pic of the partially frozen fountain in front when I came out. So to show you how cold it is . . .

A Chilly Day

I don't usually mind cold days when I stay in - like today - especially when I think back to those working years when I had no choice but to get out and show up.
I often left for my nursing job early in the morning. I would have to scrape ice off the car's windshield and peek through a small fuzzy clearing in the glass to see where I was going. Then my breath would fog the inside of the window. I hoped nothing would prevent me from clocking in on time when I finally reached the inside of the hospital. And then, there were those times when I left in the dark of night and hoped I would be awake and alert for whatever bad surprises I would encounter until 0730 rolled around. Being responsible and doing difficult work taught me so much and made me a better person.
But now, I can be thankful for these non-working days - and thankful for social security that lets me have a choice.
I am also getting some things done (mostly art duties) that I have felt a little overwhelmed by. I volunteer to do things when I have no idea how to do them. Then I have to learn! I like to learn how to do stuff, but sometimes I wish I weren't that way. One thing I have learned is if you press on and do one little thing at a time, it all gets done.

Swaddled

"And she brought forth her first born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
Luke 2:7

In the story of the birth of the Christ Child, the newer Bible translations have substituted the plainer words "wrapped in" for the more descriptive King James "swaddled." I love that word! When I was little, I was curious as to what those swaddling cloths were. Later, when I became a mother, I learned all about that old way of snugly wrapping my baby in a blanket for security, warmth, and even for calming. (I wonder what cloths Mary and Joseph used to wrap Baby Jesus in. I wonder what they brought with them on their journey to Bethlehem.)

The Three-in-One God swaddles His children today. He swaddles us in grace, comfort and peace. We are warmly swaddled in His blanket of love.

Cold and gorgeous at the beach today

A friend Ashley left behind in Oklahoma came to visit her this week. She loves it here! Today I got to spend some time with them, and after lunch at Moe's and a few shopping stops, I took them to the South End of WB. It was breezy and chilly but awesome as always. Some iPhone shots.

Finally. A recognizable scene.

Beautiful Christmas Tree

It filled the entrance hall where our WAA party was held. Everyone was taking pix of it!

Another one.

This was actually painted with a brush for once. Another 12x12. I have four white floating frames to use for that size, so I wanted something light.

Crazy me

After all these years, I still feel the need to make fudge and other disgustingly rich sweets at Christmastime. Lord knows I do not need to eat them, or even lick the beaters, but still I forge on as in days of old when my children were little. Sometimes I just have no sense. After the fudge, I made a pan of those seven-layer bar cookies that must have more fat and calories per cc than anything on the planet. And I just pulled three small rum cakes out of the oven. They were new for me this year and sure do smell good, but why! I need to listen to less Christmas music! The man and I will eat more than we should, and I will find some folks to take some off my hands, and then thankfully the sweets will be gone. Maybe it is my creative expression of the day or else I am a slave to those unhealthy Christmas traditions.

Sometimes things work out

Like today. The Board decided that our December meeting should be something special, but where would we have it? After our November meeting I was at one of the many shopping areas on College Rd and walked by an Asian restaurant whose unimpressive blue neon sign I had passed many times. I was curious as to what the place was like and decided to go in and check it out. The hostess was nice, and showed me the menu, and then I asked if there was a private dining area where a group could meet first and then order lunch. They did, and today we went. It was perfect for our group of thirteen. We all loved what we ordered and stayed too long. It's nice when a plan comes together.

A time to sing

This is the weekend my church puts on its big Christmas program, and for the third year, I am among the altos. Our amazing organist is also a chorus teacher at a high school, and many of her students are joining us. What a treat that is for me! Last night was dress rehearsal, and I am sitting on the front row of the choir, behind the French horns, and between two of the students who were loving the whole experience, especially the thirty-piece orchestra. They were positively glowing with enthusiasm. I share their awe. They also sang very well, and I wondered if when I was that age I did too. Tonight is the first of four performances. People in town look forward to coming and arrive early. The old church fills up quickly and seating is free. They won't be disappointed, as our music is really good. When it is over, I will be invigorated first and then exhausted.

A Landscape

A landscape! Just finished. And I did it with my fingers!
I propped it under a lamp to take the pic. Helps me to critique it that way.
The red you see peeking through is the color of the underpainting.
Tomorrow I will tidy it up.
Another reason I am painting is to use all the paint I have accumulated.

Maybe the ninth?

Much like the first one I did. Appears to have some of the same colors.
18X24. It is several layers of paint. Slowly but surely I am getting them done.

Water all around

at WB

two for the show

Here are two 12" x 12" paintings that I can use.
I wondered what kind of art this is called, if anything, and I found "lyrical abstract."
I like the name, so that is what may say if anyone asks.

Ruby is a good photographer

On Thanksgiving, she took some pictures of her cousins with my phone.
I wanted to post some and give her credit for her "good eye."

Flotilla

Finally. I got to go to the Flotilla, a yearly WB event.
We arrived before sunset. When it was good and dark, and the half moon was high in the sky, the boats of all sizes passed the people along the water's edge of the parade route. They partied and cheered. It was fun.

I love my babies

Fall colors in the back yard

The New # 4

not so sure about this one either

Thanksgiving Service

The downtown churches held a combined Thanksgiving service Monday evening at beautiful St. James Episcopal. Choir members from the churches also combined, including me. We practiced for a short time, and then took the steep steps up to the choir/organ loft in the back. It was a wonderful time. From "on high," I took a couple of pix with my phone before the people came in.

Early Christmas giving

My thoughtful #1 son putting Christmas lights on my house. I never had them, and he knew I wanted them. They are beautiful!

The Fourth

My easel has been on the screened in porch for the past week, and that is where I have been painting. It is chilly out there! This painting will be finished soon, unless I decided it already is. It is a 20x24 like the purplish one. The canvas already had a painting that I disliked more each time I looked at it, so I covered it up with what you see. There were parts of it I wanted to save, and it was hard, but I had to focus on the overall composition.

tribute to fall

The walkway through the back of Bellamy to Market today.

Those who dream

While I have a lull, I am trying to knock out these paintings. I know the ability is in there somewhere! Yesterday I worked at finishing one I started the day before. It wasn't bad. I took some pics and said...not bad. Today I painted over it. Not once but twice. It had some nice places and met the rules and formulas of art, but it brought me no satisfaction. This is where I am with the canvas this evening. I may tweak it a bit, but I am considering it my third one. A little on the Twombly side.  Nine to go.

Fun one

A while back I started a painting on this canvas but never got to it to a stage that worked for me. Yesterday I dragged it out, propped it up, and occasionally spread leftover paint on it. At some point, I thought...hey! I like that! So many modern masters have paintings that are no better. I don't have a title yet. Artists love to title their work, and titles are how they are identified forever.
 . . . I think it will be "Baby, it's you!"

First of twelve

Showing something I have painted is embarrassing and even more so when I know other people probably think it is strange. But I am going ahead with it and admitting that this sort of thing is what I really enjoy doing. I had rather "walk through hell barefoot" than paint something recognizable or realistic. If I can just spread layer upon layer and see what comes of it, them I am a happy painter.

I titled this, "It is written," because I scribbled a lot of what looks like writing into the top layers of paint. Actually I turned it upside down from the way I was working on it. 

the heat is on

It seems like years ago, but it was just February when I had a visitor to my studio one Fourth Friday who asked if I would be in an art show. When I asked her what I would enter, she said she liked my abstracts and my black and white photos. I was flattered and said, "Of course!" Surely I would come up with some art by then, I thought. But now, ten months later, I have nothing! Is it possible to do at least twelve paintings within a few weeks?! I really don't want to hang photographs, no matter how much I like them.
Several ideas have been floating around my head, garnered primarily from youtube. Maybe I could do something like them if I forced myself. But what I learned tonight when I seriously attempted painting, is that I do have a style of that comes out no matter what else I try to do. When artists teach, they all teach from their own style. Maybe my style isn't that awesome, but I have no choice really. I've gotta be me.

pix from yesterday and today

With my new phone.
A cute new French place near me that has coffee and pastries. The chocolate glace was like a mirror.
And the pretty sky yesterday.

Remembering Who is in Control

And remembering the Reformation:

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing;
Our shelter He, amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow’r are great, And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, The Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth is His name, From age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And tho’ this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us;
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim — We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly pow’rs — No thanks to them — abideth:
The Spirit and the gifts are ours Thro’ Him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Words - and possibly tune - by Martin Luther, 1527

Truthtelling

In the waiting room at the eye doctor today, I had an interesting conversation with a woman who is from Venezuela. I was curious, because I had heard that if our country is not wise with our elections and politics, we could become like Venezuela. So after some superficial conversation, I asked her, "What is it like there?" She shook her head and said, "Horrible."

For dates and names, you will need to read some other source. This is just some of what she said.
It all, the decline and loss of freedom, happened in the last eighteen years. First, citizens were deceived and elected a socialist president. The government began to takeover private businesses and were unable to run them. They took over oil and made massive mistakes. She felt oil is gone, too. Socialism became Communism. Now living there is very dangerous. She has lived in the US for twenty or so years, but her mother is still in Venezuela - in a bad situation. Food is very expensive, in short supply, and her mother doesn't have enough to eat. The woman sends her boxes with food and other necessities, but the government goes through them, and her mother does not receive all she sent. Nobody is safe, and Americans who travel there are likely to be kidnapped.

Internet/cell service, etc is the slowest in the world, she says, because the government does not want the rest of the world to know what is going on. They don't want life there to be filmed. The government is trying to isolate the country from the rest of the world. Government leaders control all the media and get all the money. I didn't understand when she was telling me about the recent election, but it was something like they had someone in England count the votes. Then the government said no. So voting is not working.

The woman teared up a couple of times when talking about the country she knew as a child and what it is like today. The sad part she said, is the young people, those who have never known life when the country was better and free.

 I am mindful of this quote by Ronald Reagan:
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Over the past week, there have been increasing revelations about the hideous crimes of our past president, the vile woman who desired to be president, and their henchmen. Though the facts couldn't be clearer, several so-called news sources, those who fully lie and propagandize, choose not to bring the info to their readers and listeners. It is horribly fascinating how the crimes and corruption go deeper and deeper.

But many decent Americans are still deceived and ignorant, unaware of how the Leftists have been destroying our country, how they have been changing the culture and language, reprogramming us to believe wrong is right, giving our tax money to groups and countries who want to tear us apart, allowing other countries to have our resources, even what they need to make bombs. They do not want a USA.

Before President Trump was elected, we were sliding down the same slippery slope, but now a process has started to halt it. We Americans all need to get past personality traits and hairstyle or whatever we find not to like about our incumbent president, and thank God he is willing to fight for us.

Whirlwind trip

Ashley and I left Saturday morning for a 5 pm wedding in Bethesda, Maryland. We arrived in time and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Yesterday we took in as much as we could of our nation's capital, since our hotel was only seven miles from the White House. Ashley navigated, and I drove - down Wisconsin Avenue, Connecticut, Pennsylvania Avenue, and when I heard her say, "There it is!" I stopped to park.
Thus started our sightseeing and we were able to get in a lot. What we spent the most time on was the Fall White House Garden Tour, one of only two a year. We got tickets for noon, waited, then walked and walked the road around the Ellipse of the South Lawn, South Entrance, the Rose Garden, the West Wing, and it was all lovely. Toward the exit the Marine Band was playing, and as they beautifully performed America the Beautiful, there was a real sense of reverence. Here are some pix from my new phone.

Photo 1. A parting view
Photo 2. Ashley at White house.
Photo 3. The Rose Garden in front of West Wing. Roses were not blooming, but there were other pretty flowers.
Photo 4. The podium near the Oval Office in West Wing where presidents stand to speak
Photo 5. Presidents select trees to be planted. The wrought iron seating is under a Southern Magnolia chosen by Andrew Jackson that was planted in 1830. In the pic, you may see the sign with 10 on it. The brochure told which president was responsible for which tree and what kind of tree it is.
Photo 6. The Eisenhower Office Building very near the West Wing.
Photo 7. Our tickets

A quiet Wednesday

Today there was nothing I had to do, so I stayed in and piddled around the house.
For the first time since I got back from Guatemala, I actually cooked something. (I have been relying on frozen foods that I have underappreciated until now.) I peeled and cut up a sweet potato into approximately 3/4 " pieces, rolled them in melted butter, sprinkled with cinnamon, spread on a foil lined pan (easy cleanup), and baked at 400. A few minutes before they were totally done, I sprinkled them with more cinnamon and a little white sugar. Very tasty, and we know how good sweet potatoes are for us.

Yesterday was Book Club and an art duty. Last week was full of art duties!

So that is my post for today.

One more foto. The team with pinatas.

bananas

                                         
                                          Bananas with flower. Growing in the jungle.

                     
                                                       banana leaf - big and beautiful.

                             
                                          bananas for sale. From a distance, looked like flowers.

As we were leaving

talking

The missionary here has a daughter who teaches English in school. Her students don't have many opportunities to speak with Americans, so she asked if our group would spend some 1:1 time with them to engage in some directed conversation. The students were brought to a restaurant in Antigua by bus, and when we arrived, there was one student sitting at a table for two waiting for one of us to join them. I sat with fifteen year old Evelyn. Here is a picture I took of her. She took a picture with her cell phone of the two of us together. I thought she was terrific. She told her personal story and then taught me some about Guatemala. I hope that one of my granddaughters will communicate with her via social media in the future. Also is a picture of Abby in our group talking with her student.

Antigua

Please excuse me if this doesn't make sense. It has been a busy day with lots of walking and also wonderful conversations. The seven of us who did not go ride horses to the volcano, went early to the ancient city of Antigua. We found a great guide named Galileo who took us to some fascinating ruins. I will id them later. We went to some amazing eateries. After that we did one more good deed. We went to a place where we each sat and talked to one English student. Then back at the house and busy with buying coffee and preparing for tomorrow's departure.
I will try to find some pix.