yesterday and today

Last night we had to attend a function with John’s co workers and their families.
I don’t know why I get so anxious meeting military-folk. I know they are just normal people, well most of them. I guess it is because I don’t have children and I feel the need to explain myself.

I am considered a freak of nature because I am 40 and I chose not to have kids. I worry that my explanations are not valid and appear selfish. Like, I didn’t want to get fat or share my husband or that I wanted to travel.
I had a dream the night before that I was having to show my ID card and it kept falling apart. It was like I was 16 again rehearsing the name and birth date on my fake one (yes, mom I had one) before getting into a club.
You even had to know your fake astrological sign just in case the bouncer quizzed you.
In the dream the ID card was actually mine, but they didn’t believe it.
Luckily the evening went fine and I didn’t have to explain myself. No one asked my astrological sign either.

All in all, I guess I am still trying to present to the world my identity -no matter how flimsy it may seem . Although, I have become more valid with age, I still get anxious when questioned.

today

Today's painting

Sept.10th

4x6

tomatoes

I didn't get to finish the stems as much as I wanted because of 2 interruptions.

First, Aisha appears at my studio window with a bunch of flowers from her garden. I was wearing all black the other day when I had lunch with Katherine. Apparently she thought someone had died and I had been to a funeral.

With my broken German I assured her that all was okay and nobody had died. American women wear black because it makes them appear thinner.

I have to laugh every time I glance at the lovely vase of funeral flowers on my dining room table.

Second, is that Manuela, my other neighbor, has a new bike. We usually walk our dogs together, but now she has the crazy notion that it is better to take them with our bikes. In her broken English she calls it, "driving the bikes". This is definitely a workout! Though going up hill is a cinch with them on the leash. I can say this isn't the safest way to exercise your dogs, but it does wear them out.

She insisted we drive the bikes before I was truly finished with this painting-so I will touch it up tomorrow.

today

Until The Cows Come Home.......................

today and tomorrow

Sept.7th
Today's painting 4x6
garlic and onion






Previously I was the visual director for a department store in Colorado. I lived in 4 different cities in the course of 10 years. Each city provided a new start along with a new set of friends.
Coincidentally, in each city I became friends with German women. I remember asking myself, "What is it with me and the Germans?"
I suppose I was just drawn to their free- spirited ways.
Each friend was similar, because they were always up for a good time.
There was no waiting for the weekends with these girls, resulting in my daily morning addiction to Starbucks’ vanilla lattes
How funny that a few years later I would be living in Germany. Since then I have figured out the answer to my question. I have found most Germans are festive by nature and how could they not be?
They can find just about any reason to celebrate.
As if they need an excuse to drink their great beer and wine.
In Autumn every village advertises their particular festival in celebration of their harvest. An opportunity for family and friends to gather. I don't recall such events back in the States other than the obligatory holiday or birthday. Don't get me wrong, but it appears they actually enjoy spending time with their families.
Not that I don't. It just seems well, different that's all.
Since I have grown older, it has become increasingly harder to be festive on the week nights but, I am not so old that I cannot celebrate during the weekends- not yet, at least.
Tomorrow we are going to Pfronten, a town in the Bavarian Alps to see the cows come home.
During the summer months cows are held in the mountains to allow them to feed in the best alpine pastures. In the beginning of Autumn the alpine dairy men gather the herd and transfer them back down to the valley, providing a rich celebratory festival.
And yet,
another excuse to drink good beer in Germany.
Exciting photos to follow..............after Starbucks of course..

today

Friends,

I have just learned
of a very dangerous
organization called
The Garden Gnome Liberation Front.
They stand by the principle that

having a garden gnome in your garden is a form of slavery.
Their mission is to relocate these little
fellows back to


freedom.
They will stop at nothing.

Please take special precautions and reposition your gnomes. They are not safe from watchful eyes. If you want to learn more about this go to http://www.freethegnomes.com/


Let's all join together to guard our little garden guardians.

yesterday

"Czech us out!"

Prague, the most enchanting city as of yet. I could not believe all the architectural beauty. Every building was embellished. I just could not take enough pictures.

Saturday evening we met a Swedish man at dinner. He told us the prettiest sunset he ever saw was in downtown Dallas just outside the Greyhound bus station.

I believe everyone is entitled a fond memory or two therefore, I didn't spoil his. The sunsets in Dallas are more vibrant because the rays filter through the smog.

Again, It is all about perspective..........

yesterday

We want to move to Poland!

We arrived in Boleslawiec mid afternoon on Friday, just as our friends Naomi and Brain were checking in. What a complete surprise! As it turned out, John and Brian were talking at work and found out we were both going to Poland and Prague. They decided to keep it a secret from the wives to surprise us.

We stayed in an 18Th century converted barn which offered a taste of rural Poland. Barnyard animals excluded except for the roosters.

I can say that I would move to Poland for the beer alone, but the fact the 4 of us ate dinner totaling 25 dollars (after the conversion) had me sold. You could eat out every single night and never grow tired of the food. You'd be big as a house,but insulated during the hard winters.

We spent the next morning shopping for pottery. Boleslawiec has a history of pottery making since the 7Th century. The traditional pattern is shown in the photo above with many variations. I of course, like the more colorful pattens and choose a couple of serving pieces which are all completely different.

I am fully prepared for the large imaginary dinner parties that go on in my head and feel I can now set a table worthy for a page in Country Living magazine. Thank you Poland!