For You

Happy Valentine's Day!

This is a scan of a 1992 reproduction of an old-time Valentine that I saved.

Do you remember decorating shoe boxes in elementary school and waiting anxiously to see if you'd find a card or two in your "mail box".

I have a box of Valentines Jim has given me over the past 54 years - along with a single red rose.
The single red rose started when we were dating. He was in medical school and had little to no money. So, a single rose. Now its a tradition. Yesterday he asked me "what do you want for Valentine's." "Just one." Smiling, he nodded. One says it all.

Where does all this come from?

"Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap"." From History.com - History of Valentine's Day

Now that fits my old Valentine to a T.

Read about the History of Valentine's Day HERE - very interesting, saints, martyrs and romance.

Urban Bambi

This is not "the wild" - this is my neighborhood - a block from my house.

They crossed slowly right in front of our car yesterday as Jim and I drove home. We stopped and watched as they lazily wandered into a neighbor's yard - searching for snacks.

Its not a novelty - we have lots of deer around - but I still stop for a close encounter.

Color Rich

A new exhibit of digital photographs - COLOR STUDIES -

About Jim

Sometimes Blogger has a mind of its own and just does things.

Today the post about Jim - with all the wonderful prayers and good wishes yal are sending was archived - can't have that. If you stop by and want to find out what this is about you can read the original one HERE

and leave a message there or leave a message here.

All I can tell you is that your words and prayers and good wishes mean so much. We thank you.

Burano, Italy
I look at the picture of Jim and I can see the colorful houses on the island of Burano near Venice. It was so hot in Venice that summer that we spent a lot of time on the islands or preferably on the large vaporetto boats. Being on the water was cooler, especially near the railing where the water spray could wet your face and arms.

Art Show in the News, Place Holding

Breaking News:



Nice write up about the More Than Words Exhibition in the Montgomery County Gazette today. Here

I am putting up this stack of blocks to say hello for me. Jim and I went out for coffee after Mass this morning and agreed that we will try to get the
stuff done by the end of the week-end. So that we can relax and maybe even play next week. Knowing us I doubt that will happen - but its a great goal.

Sooooooooo - I have to stay focused. Finish my story prep for Sunday and get MY taxes done. I have a list and whittling on it makes me feel that I am accomplishing something.

So far I have arranged for the kennel to board the dog and booked a hotel room across the street from George Washington Hospital. I think its about 2 blocks max and most of that is crossing the traffic circle.

I believe a patient has to have their own "watcher-advocate" so I won't leave once Jim is admitted - except for the time he is in the ICU - they make you follow the rules. That will be very hard for me. I am sure I will be blathering on about that later.

The Bridge of Sighs

French Still Life

French Windsills near Nice
Digital watercolors - e.schoettler



I love still life paintings. For that's what they are - life at a a still point - where the chaos and dramas are on hold - but wait - that means the joy, laughter and delight are on hold too.


Ok, I get it -



I'll take life as a whole package.

Special Thanks

Smiles and hugs for all you wonderful folks for your notes, prayers, and encouragement for Jim and me.

jet Blue, Keeping Busy, Thanks

Jim is seeing patients this morning - that's a good thing for him. Later he will be working on taxes and paper work. All this stuff that has to be done.

Jet Blue is on my list and our minds. We had planned a trip to California leaving February 21 - for a visit and for me to tell stories at the Rogue Festival. Instead I am cancelling those tickets - and Robin has bought some - she emailed her Jet Blue itinerary. She will be arriving February 24.

When LIFE steps in you sure do have to reshuffle your calendars. I can only imagine the shuffle Robin's doing - with arranging her boys' schedules and substitute drivers from here to there and back.

Work goes on for Jim and for me. I am teaching with Adjoa this afternoon.

We are starting an "altered" book project using an altered structure I made as a model. I played around with several demo models over the week-end and it is fun and absorbing when you get into re-making the magazine. let's hope the students agree about that.

And I am tweaking my new hour performance. I perform it for a college class tomorrow night and then it opens on Sunday. I am very grateful for storytelling - even though its hard to focus. At least when I am working on stories I am not creating scary stories of my own.

Stay in the NOW. Focus on today. All those sayings that help you to stay where you are and not get ahead of yourself into the unknown -

Our deepest thanks to all you loving, generous folks in my blog world and the storytelling family on Storytell who are sending your warm good wishes and prayers to Jim and to me. You are helping us stay focused on love and the positive energy around us - you are wrapping us in hope. We also have you in our prayers.

Namaste.

Heads Up

Sometimes the fun of sorting through old photos is finding something like this. One afternoon Jim agreed to be part of a Still life for my assignment for a Photography Class.

If you are wondering: l - r, sculpture by a local artist, clay head by Ellouise, carved fossilized whale bone, Eskimo, clay head by Jim, Ashanti carved wood figure, human head - Jim.

Maybe the idea came from this "clowning around" at the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum a couple of years before.

Jim

This is one of my favorite pictures of Jim. I took it about a year ago when we were out "watching" for birds.

We have a situation going here. We were blindsided when Jim's bladder cancer returned in October. Thought that was done - remember he had surgery to clean up that little problem last March - and it was supposed to be a closed issue. His surgeon was as surprised as we were. I have not said anything on the blog about it - hopiing it would go away.

So, the first plan - a six week round of Chemo - took us through Christmas. Then there was a waiting period to see if the chemo had "fixed" things. Wednesday the surgeon looked to see - with Jim watching on the computer screen - and it was not what we hoped. The chemo had not stopped the growth of the cancer.

Now we are talking surgery. Big time surgery.

Let me just tell you - this is scary. Ever the doctor, Jim is calm and accepting. My outsides are not showing my insides - I am biting a bullet

With one difference. Instead of saying, the way I usually do, that everything is fine. - I am telling you the truth and asking for your prayers and good wishes. I learned from my friend Joan a few years ago when her husband was terribly ill that its OK to let people into your loop. To ask for their support. In their case it brought health and healing. I am praying for the same.

So, I am asking for your prayers and support. Today I imagined a crowd of well-wishers standing beside Jim - you know "his people" - cheering him on, wishing him good luck and good health. I am hoping to collect greetings for Jim to take with him to the hospital February 27. Prayers, hugs , laughs- - to lift his spirits and keep him focused on healing.

Please leave a comment on the blog - - - I will paste them on postcards and put them in a small album.

Your greetings will fill his room and his heart with warmth and encouragement and healing.

Many thanks.

Storytelling , Knitting and Art

I started off yesterday at the Washington Folklore Society Winter Mini-Fest. The theme was All Things Irish. Margaret Chatham organized the line-up of storytellers. She opened the program with stories from Donegal and I followed with Irish Tales that immigrated from Ireland to the southern United States.

You guessed it - " Jack
Tales." I love Jack. He is "every man and his stories are fun.

You could hear Irish fiddle music down the hall during the stories which was a nice touch. Quick stepping down the hall so as not to be late I had to stop just a minute at a table of tempting instruments. How I wish I could make music to go with my stories. Its finally sinking in that its not going to happen but I still look and wish.

I stopped more than a minute when I rounded the corner of the school corridor and almost bumped into this table of really beautiful, simple scarves. "I am a passionate knitter." Lynn told me. " I knit all the time and everywhere." Looking at this table I knew she was telling the truth. We talked about the joy of holding gorgeous colors and soft textures in your hands - of seeing them just flow into your lap. And don't you love those little suitcases. Nice touch. No - I did not buy one - but I will have one soon enough. I know which drawer the right yarn is in - just waiting.

Unfortunately I could not stay to hear all the storytellers because I was expected at Pyramid Atlantic for the exhibition of works from More Than Words, the class Adjoa Burrowes and I completed a month ago.











This work is by Middle School students - 12 to 14 years old. We are really proud of what they accomplished.

Place Holder

This is a place holder while I watch a movie and knit. Its been a busy day - storytelling and an opening for the students in the More Than Words project Adjoa Burrowes and I taught for Pyramid Atlantic last semester. The show looked great and the kids were very proud of themselves for their work. I am happy and I am tired.

Storytelling

Pushing Boundaries.

This afternooon I told my new hour-long story Pushing Boundaries for a Women's Studies class at American University and asked their feed-back as I prep it for the first public performance February 15.

The students were a wonderful audience - attentive, and interested during the story and then direct and inquiring during the Q and A session at the end. Their questions about the content were probing and opened the door for me to understand what I need to do to tell the story more completely.

Remembering - telling my stories about the old days of the ERA campaign and the Women's Artists Movement was fun. Talking about my lobbying on Capitol Hill and testifying before an NEA Budget Committee as though it happened just yesterday. I loved recapturing the excitment, the challenges and the terror of it all. That's where I did my first storytelling - telling the story of the unequal treatment for women artists in a male favoring career environment. I heard my self saying the familiar phrases I thought I had forgotten - women were the first fired - last hired in academia not to mention lowest paid. I wonder if it is still true?

Later this evening as I read the survey questions the students answered in writing I was surprised how few had ever heard of the women's aritsts movement or realized the need for an organized effort to over-come a male favoring art world in order to be a professional, to have a real career in the arts - not just a hobby?

Goes to show - if you don't keep telling the story - there is no story.

The young women in the class were impressive - posing thoughtful and insightful questions. Some of their questions surprised me - did my family object to my activism? Was it hard to balance going back to college with children - how did I do it? They pushed me deeper into the story - asking for the personal as well as the historical. Tell us more about you - how hard was it for you to do these tihngs?

Are they telling me that I have reached an age where I have something to tell them from my experience that they need to know - so they can do what they need to?

Scary.















This was on an invitation card I picked up somewhere in the 1980s. I have hung onto it since then. Don't know who made it - but whoever did - nailed it!

Squaring Up

I love working with fabric. Playjng with colors and textures. The log cabin is my favorite format because I can just relax and enjoy the piece as I make it. I don't have to worry about a complicated pattern or construction.




The centers of these log cabin squares are applique and batik pieces I bought in Kenya when I went to the 1985 UN Conference on Women. I prize this piece as a very special momento of an incredible adventure-trip. 10,000 Miles to Home, is the story I tell about those three weeks in which I saw a new world, had a deeply moving spiritual experience on safari, saved a friend's life and made it home safely - - a much wiser woman. I sewed my memories, my feelings, good and bad, all the experiences - the laughter, fears and tears of those 21 days into that fabric collage. I just touch the piece and it all comes flooding back. That trip deserves my remembering it.

When I am sewing I walk a high-wire of unplanned compositions - thats sort of like saying one false move and you fall. But when I work like that I feel quiet and quite calm. Maybe that's why I yearn to sew right now.

I am not calm at the moment. We had some upsetting news yesterday. Jim had an "off" report from the doctor and has to have surgery - sooner rather than later.

We will be going back to George Washington Hospital Center in a few weeks. We were there last March for another surgery adventure for Jim. I am not looking forward to this return.

Maybe I could take my Bernina sewing machine and a basket of scraps with me? I doubt it. I have never considered lap-quilting - maybe now is the time.

Bookstore Encounter

Maybe you have guessed - bookstores are comfort places for me. When I am upset, sad, depressed or feeling lonely I head for a bookstore. Having all those books around makes me feel warm and comforted - all those possibilities laid out before me.

Today Jim and I both needed diversion. I suggested book comfort so we stopped off at Politics and Prose - one of our favorite places.



The feature this month is Abraham Lincoln. Just look at this one display at the front of the store. The table is near collapse under the weight of all the books about Lincoln.

I snapped a couple of shots and thats when I noticed the attractive young couple standing near by, sort of noticing me. They were clean-cut, shiningly spruced and both wearing tailored black cloth over-coats. The woman's black coat was brightened up by the royal blue collar of her shirt. Later I saw them again on the other side of the store where I was fingering the selection of moleskin journals. This time I saw the twisted clear cords coming from their ears and snaking down under their collars. Ah. Ha. Secret Service. I turned around, scanning the store for their charge.

There she was - Dr. Jill Biden at the cash register checking out a stack of books.

Laughing I turned to the young woman, "yal are very good. I hardly realized why you were here."

"We try to blend in." And they do.

She had an open friendly face. I went on. "It reminds me of the first time I was really aware of Secret Service presence. years ago Mrs. Joan Mondale, the Vice President's wife was coming to the Washington Women's Arts Center. I went in early to help with he set-up. When I walked into the gallery I saw several very nice looking young me standing around. One in particular was very good-looking. Then, when I noticed the large hearing aid he was wearing I thought to myself - it was unfortunate he had a hearing problem . Right at that moment he lifted his hand to his mouth and spoke into his wrist. Duh! I got it. The advance Secret Service checking things out before Mrs. Mondale's arrival." The young woman and I had a nice laugh and moved on - she to do her watching and me to continue my looking - - at books.

Its tacky I know but I could not resist - I guess this makes me one of the paparazzi - even with my palm size blue Olympus. Recording my brush with the 2nd Lady of the land.

I admire Dr. Biden - for being her own person and continuing her teaching career and for choosing to teach at a local two-year college. By doing that she draws attention to two-year colleges and those who don't already understand it may come to realize how vital and important the two year colleges are to the education system.

A Surprise, Storytelling, Artist Willem de Looper

1. Surprise

My friend Jennie called. " we are cleaning out the basement and you wouldn't believe what we are finding." Oh, yes I would. I have known for years that she had a complete archives of her childhood - and that meant some bits of mine - stored in her basement. Jennie and I have known each other since the 2nd grade at ElizabethElementary School in Charlotte, NC.

She read headlines and bits from newspaper clippings to me. It was a slice of 1953. Some of it meant nothing to me but - then - "hey, here's a picture of you when you went to Wildacres for the Civitan Youth Conference."

Yes, I had gone to that summer conference. I think of it everytime I tell "Swimming" - I am not a swimmer and I almost drowned in a dammed up mountain pool that summer while I was in the mountains learning to be a good citizen. "I would love to have that."

"You can have more than that. I can't throw it away. I will give it to you - and you toss out what you don't want.."

And that's how I came to have this picture - I am the second from the left on the front row. 1953 - the summer before my Senior year. It did happen. This is a keeper.

I have read all the other yellowed clippings and felt a little like a time traveler. I enjoyed them - but not enough to keep them longer than it takes to make a couple of collages.

I will be grateful to Jennie much longer than that.

2. Storytelling and Books:Two programs this afternoon - a schedule over-lap and my attempt at bi-locating.

Teaching with Adjoa Burrowes today. We led a project where a group of middle school students made accordion books using the wonderful strong brown paper of grocery bags.

Immediatley afterwards I told stories for an after-school program in another school that fortunately a short drive away. When some of the older students decided to join the group they were skeptical that it would be "any fun" because it was "just storytelling. " I loved seeing their faces as they became caught up in the stories and enjoyed it inspite of themselves. Ah,the magic of storytelling.

3. Artist Willem de Looper
We have lost another wonderful artist in Washington. Painter Willem de Looper has died.
I did not know Mr. de Looper but I have admired his paintings and he has been a part of my daily world.
For more than 15 years we have lived with a marvelous piece of his work - a large hand-made paper pulp painting. When I can take a fair photo I will add it.

In 2008 there was an exhibition of de Looper's work at the AU Katzen. See some of his work.
and from another exhibition in 1996.

I particularly like this sketch book which was included in the 1996 show.

Settling for Storytelling

Here I am "settling" to start the day. Storytelling and especially my new story is my focus for today. There are a few major things I have to finish. Pressure always makes me stall.

Looking out the window I see a wide, white contrail forming across the early morning sky behind a large jet as it climbs higher and higher - probably having just taken off at BWI airport in Baltimore. Monday moroning travelers off on an early start. Where are they headed? Business? Pleasure? What?

If they are headed East - do they know London and Heathrow are paralyzed under 6" of snow.

heaviest snow in 20 years.

Yep, traveling is good. So - I jump into cyber space again this morning clicking myself to As Time Goes By to check out a few of the new elder blog sites Ronni Bennett recently listed. (Happy to tell you Ellouise story is on that list.)

Alphabetical is a good way to start.

Country Roads - a woman in Tennessee writing about life and ideas, family and stuff. Learned something right off - what's a TCK? Curious? You may be surprised. New to me but makes sense and explains changes we are seeing in the world and in Washington. I bookmark her blog - want to come back.

The Cyberspace Dawdler - this is a man's site - and the first post is a nice story of his encounter with a stunned, puzzled and smart Cooper's Hawk. Great photos. The pictures bring you up-close with the hawk and work to move the story along. I read on and enjoyed Top 10 Senior Moments - if you have ever picked up the remote to dial your daughter you will love it.

Storytelling and Art Ahead This Week

I try to start off the week checking my calendar and making lists to take care of the things that are coming up in the days ahead. So that's what I am doing today. But, don't mis-understand me. I have lived long enough to know for sure to watch out life is what happens OFF this list. My hope is always that I can take care of the obvious and then the unexpected will not throw me such a curve ball. Reckon that works?


Here's what I know is on the calendar.








MORE THAN WORDS



Saturday, February 7, 3 - 5 pm
Exhibition and Reception
at Pyramid Atlantic, Silver Spring, MD



I have mentioned before that artist-author Adjoa Burrowes and I led an after-school program for Pyramid Atlantic with students at the Silver Spring International Middle School. This exhibition is an exciting opportunity for the students to show their works to the community in a professional art gallery.



Adjoa and I are proud of this program. We focused on using storytelling and bookmaking techniques to promote creativity and build youth literacy. Works in the exhibit will include the artist books, prints and collages created by the youth in the program's winter session. During that session we focused on the presidential election and all the differences between people and ideas that surfaced during the campaign.



We are calling the next version of the Pyramid After School Program, SCRAPPING IT: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and will focus on recycling and its importance to the environment. There are eighteen students in this new group.

KENSINGTON STORYTELLING SERIES



Storyteller Bill Mayhew is the featured teller Wednesday February 4 .
It should be a fun, warm-hearted and spirit evening of stories with Bill at the helm.

Kensington Row Storytelling Series
7:30 pm Kensington Row Book Shop

If you are in the area I hope you will stop by.

STORYTELLING at AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
First telling of my new story for a women's studies class of about 40 students. AU will be my off-off broadway run through for the story before the public performance February 15. . I am excited - looking forward to seeing their reactions to my story and hearing their feed-back.

Getting Started, Storytelling

Storytelling for the kick- off program for Library Lovers Month for a County library this morning so I am up early - in the dark. I want to go over my stories, get my stuff together and primp.


But first - I have the settle.
The computer is my settling place. I check my emails. See what's happened on my blog. Has anybody stopped by? And then - I travel. I surf.
I never know what my jumping off place will be. Its random. This morning I stepped into cyber space from 37 Days. There was an email notice of a Life is a Verb Reading today from Patti in my email. It led me to Random Arts.

Random Arts is a bookstore and art space in Saluda, NC. I loved the GALLERY page. Will have to tell Betsy about the "button vases". We were talking just the other day about the button gardens we made when we were in Girl Scouts. (Betsy remembers that whole thing a bit more positively than I do. Hers must have looked better than mine. Ah, well!). Random Arts is just y kind of place. I know if I ever get to Saluda I am stoppping by.

Glancing down her blog listI settled on a journaling blog - Sending Pages Out To Dry. which whisked me to Atlanta This blog belongs to an interesting artist - a journaling writer and artist who makes artist books - now how right could that be for me?

Whoops. Its getting light outside. Out of time. Have to get to work. Storytelling this morning, you know.

Telling Stories



Its always a bit of a kick to walk into a gig and see my face on a poster.

This morning I told a family program of folktales - all seletced from library section 398.2. I enjoy these stories. They are old because they are good.








I chose tales from different cultures - China, Europe, The Middle East.


They are fun to tell.

Afterwards children came up to me:
"I loved your stories." from a second grader.
"I liked the one about the tablecloth. She would not have to worry about cooking anymore." (The Old Woman and the North Wind) This from a girl who looked to be about nine or ten years old. Isn't that a great reaction to a story about a woman who has just been given a magic tablecloth that will give her delicious food whenever she tells the cloth to "Spread cloth spread."

A man who was there with a young child stopped me and asked for advice on "how to encourage her imagination."
"Talk to her, tell her stories about you, your wife, your family. Bring her to the library and read to her. Let her make the pictures in her mind. Like you did listening to the storytelling this morning." His eyes got it. He nodded. "I gotcha."

I love storytelling.

Blogging, Classic Movies, Amends

1. Blogging
Ever hear or read something and its like the author is saying it for you? I checked-in here this morning and there it was - the melody of my song.

2. Classic Movies
You may have guessed. I love movies.
Yesterday TCM showed two good oldies - favorites of mine.

I Remember Mama , the 1940s Irene Dunne Classic and Yours ,Mine and Ours, the 1968 original version with Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball. I don't have to stop and watch them. They play in the background. I know them by heart. It is like re-reading a favorite book - always worth it.

What are they about? what appeals to me? Love, family,parenting, relationships, forgiveness. That's good for starters. They have heart - the very thing the filmakers took out of the recent version of Yours, Mine and Ours. They replaced heart with slapstick. What does that say?

3. Amends

It happened this morning. I lost it. And an innocent by-stander, a total stranger, felt the down draft from me of something that had nothing to do with her what-so-ever.

I don't know what tripped my fuse. Well I do, but its not worth going into And like those things go it wasn't one thing it was a collection of things. A pile of them.

After the air cleared I felt terrible. I could see that I was not the one injured here. Repentant, I called back and apologized. Graciously, she accepted. Book closed.

Forgiveness is healing. Freeing.

Forgiveness - the fuel for moving on.