Merry Christmas 2012

I'm not sure who will read this, but whoever you are you are wished abundant blessings for Christmas and for the new year! Thank you for following my blog!

I really stepped out on a limb this year, and sent some of my original art to family members as gifts. I'm still anxious about it, even though I've only had positive feedback from (a few) family members. Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about.

See, there's really nothing wrong with any of this! My IC needs to take a trip back around the corner and crawl under that dumpster where she seems to feel right at home among garbage!!

We are having leftovers for dinner tonight: Prime Rib, roasted potatoes, salad and some yummy apple pie. It will be quieter than last night's meal, when we had 11 around the table. But it will be just as good, because we will remember what it felt like to have our Worcester family right here. There's nothing like the feeling of family. I'm just sayin'.

Saying Goodbye Again

Our dear friend Roger died last week. Today is calling hours at the mortuary, and tomorrow is the funeral. Roger and his family really wrapped their arms around the three of us and made us part of their family for the last few years. We have been included in all of the "big holidays" and birthdays, Baptisms, you name it. We have felt like we have family here in Worcester. And that's a really good thing.

Good job, faithful and giving servant. I'm happy you are no longer suffering. I'm sad for those of us left to mourn your loss. The hole in my heart is very big. But we'll be okay, knowing that you are also now okay.

See you some day. Save me a seat.

Roger's online obituary

Settling Back In

Well, I'm back in Worcester and think I/we are going to be here for awhile. The last four weeks have been so crazy I can't even believe it's only been five weeks since we got back from Ireland. Wow. Seems like a lifetime ago, but in reality it was.

Some of you may know that my father-in-law, Warren's dad, died very rapidly after being diagnosed with a rare type of pancreatic and liver cancer. About three weeks before we left Ireland we learned that he had a tumor on his pancreas. The prognosis was not good, but the time frame was well received and there was no reason to panic. Warren was quite concerned, of course, and anxious to find a time to get out there after we returned to the states. Four days after we got home, Warren was on an airplane to Denver, and things were not going well. We flew Jonathan out the following Thursday and Don died on Friday. Shocking. U.n.b.e.l.i.e.v.a.b.l.e.

This week, I spent a few days in Austin, Texas with a good friend from Worcester. We stayed with Ann and Staci, friends Warren and I made while we lived in Austin when he attended seminary. It was great to see them. My friend and I ate lots of Mexican food and barbeque and watched bats and looked at beads and fabric and drank beer and ate gingerbread pancakes. It was a great few days; it was a great way to "seal the deal" on my 60th birthday.

So now I'm back. The farm stand is going great guns and we are trying to eat fresh corn on the cob every day before it's all gone for the season! I love that place so much!

I have a lot on my plate for the next few weeks, mostly creative stuff that will keep me busy and happy. This is a good thing! So, as we march into Autumn, I'm going to enjoy the beautiful weather and make some beautiful paper to use for my Christmas project. Fun, fun, fun!

Living and Learning

This week is the 14th West Cork Literary Festival, being held in Bantry. Since Bantry is just about ten miles from Glengarriff, we decided to partake in some of the offerings.

On Monday, we attended a free workshop called "Write That Letter." Dava Sobel was the presenter. She is the author of "Galileo's Daughter" which is transcribed (from Italian) letters from his daughter, who was a nun. The purpose of the workshop was to encourage the art form of hand writing a letter and everyone was offered paper and pen and envelope and encouraged to write a letter right there. They even mailed them for us! It was very interesting, and a lot of fun.

I recently participated in a swap on Coach Creative Space (www.coachcreativespace.ning.com) in which each participant wrote a letter to three other people. It was really fun to write the letters, but even more fun to receive some in my mailbox. Handwriting tells so much about a person, and what they chose to write about opened up a piece of them that I did not know.

After attending this workshop, I think we are going to make one night a month a "letter writing night" and each write at least one letter to a friend/relative. We all love to write, so this will fit in with our life perfectly!

The other workshops we attended were "The Shadow of the Titanic" (we bought the book, and I cannot put it down!) and "Not My Type: The History of Fonts." Such interesting perspective on one's choice of font and how it affects those reading. Very interesting, and definitely a book we'll look for when we get home.

And now for some photos from the week.

This is Edith, the daughter of my cousin Deirdre.

They live in Eyeries, and we celebrated Jonathan's birthday

with them at a Chinese restaurant in Castletownbere.

Sunset on Bantry Bay

Me and Jonathan at Mizen Head

This photo is from the cemetery at Kilcatherine,

which is on the grounds of the ruins of the oldest

church on the Beara Peninsula. Many of my

ancestors are buried here, and we are going to

leave a bit of Katie here before we go home.

Making Memories

It's been a day over a week since we arrived, and we continue to be amazed at all the history and culture available to explore. I'm not going to write too much, because I want to share the beauty of this place with you. We'll be here for awhile, and I'll be posting again.

Cheers!

The sun sets late here this time of year.

This photo was taken at 10:30 PM.

The forest at Gougane Barra forest was covered 

with these delightful little morsels.

The ancient stone circle in Kealkill.

We are having the time of our life!

This is the view from Goat Path.

More to come...be well.

My New Old Friend

Today was a very big day for me!

When I arrived in Harvard Square and called Fritzie, she was stuck in traffic. About ten minutes later, she called back asking where I was...and we kept asking questions of each other until -- TA DA!! -- there we were!! Yep, it's true, Fritzie and I met up and we had a great time together!! (I promise to post a photo, but need to get her permission first!)

We sat on a bench outside of a flower shop for about an hour and a half, talking about this and that and a little more of this and some more of that. It was like we'd just visited last week. It was as if we'd known each other for a long time. I felt right at home with Fritzie. Every time I think about this morning, I just start smiling!

And I got to meet her husband and her beautiful daughter, and she showed me a photo of Gabby!! Oh, we just talked about everything. I gave her a little "book of art" I made for her, something like the accordian book in my intro to this thread. She gave me wisdom and cheer and smiles and hugs and I'm not the same Mary I was when I left home this morning!

Today has been an awesome day, and this is just one of the reasons. 

I am a very, very lucky girl.

Lovely New Publication

Do you ever hear or read about something and know immediately you have to have it? I don't even remember how I found out about this publication, but just seeing a photo of its cover told me to GET IT! So, I did.

It's a magazine called Featuring: Art Journaling, Mixed Media & More... and Issue #1 is sitting right here beside me. It not only looks delightful, but it is large and smooth and cool to the touch and smells like good paper. So much thought has gone into this beautiful work of art, and it shows. I'm so happy!

There are several featured artists, of varying styles and backgrounds. A blogger is also featured, and they have an article on labyrinths. Did you know there is a web site for "World Wide Labyrinth Locator? There is a very long discussion with a legal expert on copyright (which I have not read). Some lovely artwork of an artist who worked in Swaziland is also shown. Plus there's a really interesting feature on doodling, with some tips to try! ATCs are given a nice 3-page shout-out, and this issue's Theme Gallery is "Cheering, Stomping and Applauding." Some really fun stuff! 

I would encourage you, if you have some extra mad money, to visit the web site and order yourself a copy.

I'm so happy I did!

So long ago, yesterday

Most folks don't remember. But we, we never forget.
It was the most horrible day of our lives. It was fourteen years ago.
One minute, watching television and sitting on my lap.
The next minute, gasping for breath. Not responding. Dear God.
Sweet Katie, Mama misses you! I always will, and will always remember you on this day.
But I remember you every day.
Save my space. I'll see you soon.
XO

You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.  --- Frederick Buechner

I just read this quote a few minutes ago, and cannot stop reading it. Of course, the first thing I thought about was the fact that I've been ignoring my family and best friends...or so they might feel.

This is my S.A.D. time. It sneaks up on me every year and I wonder what the heck is wrong with me, and then I remember. Oh, that's right. It's November... December... January... February... March... then the days start to get noticeably longer and the sun shines warmer and I get back to being me, and back to being the me that others want and miss. I'm not doing this to hurt anyone. I just don't know how not to do what I'm doing right now. You know who you are. Chances are, if you're reading this, you feel like I've been ignoring you. You have every right to be upset with me. I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings.

I'm going to take a Mixed Media Collage class in the evenings this year, which hopefully will give me a bit of a new outlook on life and inspire me...maybe even motivate me! I am really looking forward to this opportunity at the Art Museum. Tomorrow at the museum is Flora in Winter, which is also a breath of Spring in the midst of the grayness we're surrounded by. I'm going (with a friend!) and am pretty excited. Just the scent of those lovely flowers, designed to match a special piece of art. Scrumptuous.

I'm here. I'm fine...physically. I'm still fat and sassy, just not willing to express that side of me right now. My family is all good. The three of us are also beginning to plan our trip to Ireland this summer. Time is getting nearer, and we are making definite plans! Yes, this is exciting! I have a lot to look forward to, though you wouldn't know it from being with me.

That's all for now. Please go back to the top and read that quote again. Know that I care about you. I miss you, too, but can't bring myself to do anything about it.That's just who I am, and I'm sorry.

See you soon. XOXOXOXO