I was able to get my card reader working again, so here is my painting di giorno, "Window Box Study", watercolor on Moleskine paper, $25. This is the painting that I did with Josie, Krista and Celeste. What a fun time that was. Josie's got the bug. She loves to paint and is great with color.

Well Vincent isn't going anywhere right now. The gentleman that was buying him back had his hen die on him. That's a bite. I can't catch that raccoon. I have two new, bigger traps, but didn't set them tonight. Maybe tomorrow if it's not raining. It sure is quiet around here. I had a very peaceful day of painting after all of the animals were taken care of. I've got Chet singing "I Fall in Love to Easily", which makes for a good vibe while I paint. Very relaxing, maybe a little too. I'm going to go to bed and start "The Shack" that Jeanie and Derek gave me for my birthday.

Sleep snug.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SON JAY AND TO MY SISTER AMY. Jay worked a double for his birthday, which was on Sunday, so Krista took all of us to dinner at Le Virtu on Monday. It was a great time. Today is my sister Amy's birthday. Amy, I hope it's been your best birthday ever.As I said when I last posted, Jeanie and the gang were coming up to spend the weekend for my birthday. Derek went to California to surprise his Mom for her birthday, but he called to wish me a happy birthday and told me that I was "50-fine". I'll accept that...just wish it were so. Anyway, it was a great weekend all around. We had some serious QT and I had a great birthday on Saturday. Jeanie left on Sunday afternoon and Krista and Josie came on Sunday night. They didn't leave until this afternoon. Josie was extremely entertaining. She is obsessed with Senor, or, as she calls him "Enyork". He actually allows her to carry him around and walk him on a leash. He took naps with her and slept with her at night. Josie, Krista, Cine and I went to Georges' for dinner last night....the veal cheek cannelloni was extraordinary....and Josie put on a show for us in one of the windows. Dancing and shouting "shoot it out", as she shot her arm out in front of her. Good thing the restaurant wasn't crowded.

She and I planted lettuce yesterday and she helped with the rabbits and chickens. All of us sat outside and painted with watercolors, even Celeste, but I can't show the painting to you because my card reader won't work. So frustrating. I don't know anyone who has more trouble with computers than me. Looks like I'll have to go out and buy a new reader tomorrow.

I finished an 11"x14" oil today, the first of California. The other four are still in progress.

I'm thrilled to say that the needle biopsy of my lymph nodes was negative. Once again, thank you God! I still need to get an MRI of my neck and shoulder. I was bending a metal bar and did something bad to my upper arm and it really hurts, still. I've been living on Motrin, so I need to have a more serious look at it. If I can get a card reader tomorrow I'll be back then. If not, probably not until next week, since all of the kids will be here at the same time to celebrate Jay Jr.'s and my birthdays and I've got plenty to do to get ready, as usual. Can't wait.

Before I do anything else, I'd like to thank all of you for the phone calls and emails of encouragement and support regarding my last post. Thank you very much, I take it very seriously and it means a lot.

Isabella is still here with me and we're having so much fun that I'm not getting much done, but hey, she's a priority. I'm constantly reminded of how quickly they grow, not only with my four children, but now with my four grandchildren as well. And let me tell you, I'm not happy about it. I'm spending as much time as I can with her because like her brothers and Josie, she'll be in school and then I'll never have enough time with her again. It may seem like they spend a lot of time here to their mother's, but trust me on this one girls, it's not.

I read somewhere that caring for grandchildren ups a person's risk of a heart attack, well, I don't believe it for a nano-second. Having my grandkids around brings back memories of when my kids were little and makes me feel young again. 

So here's my two cents...and with the economy and inflation it's at least minus two dollars, please, savor every second of their baby and childhood and don't blink, 'cause it'll be gone. This is one piece of advice that I have total confidence in  and would guarantee agreement from every other parent that has teen-aged on up children. I remember being in the midst of four babies/kids thinking that I'd always be dealing with little kids. Man was I wrong! It sure feels that way at the time, but I will admit, it was difficult trying to adjust to the empty house, not having to cook, grocery shop, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love this time in my life, but I'd give it back in a heartbeat to live even the tiniest moment that I missed while struggling with all of the small stuff.

I am working on five paintings right now. I can't do the paintings di giorno  because of upcoming exhibits. I'm loving how I can go from one to another when the paint is still too wet on one to get the clean colors I love. I doubt that I'll be back before next week. Jeanie's coming up for the weekend with the boys and I'm going to take my own advice and put everything on hold so that I can spend precious time with them.

The photo above is of my Dutch, Welsummer rooster, Vincent, named after the redheaded artist Van Gogh. Since the raccoon got all of my Welsummer girls, Vincent is going home again to Ohio, where he is originally from. My heart is broken, I will miss him more than I can put into words.

My son-in-law Derek's mom, Kristy, is also my dear friend and it was her 59th birthday yesterday. She is exactly five days older than I am and damn, she looks good! Happy Birthday Kristy, from all of us here on the east coast that have been the recipients of your graciousness and generosity. 

Speaking of Derek, I didn't post last night because he and Isabella drove up, so that he could watch the Eagles vs. Cowboys game with Jay and Danny. Naturally, Derek is the Cowboys fan. It was a great game, even though the Eagles lost. The boys did the cooking, Jay fixed fabulous mussels and Danny made delicious soft-shelled crabs. I did the tomato salad and my orchardess friend Karen's, cold cucumber soup. Modi made the bread...mmmm.

My doctor called with my test results on Saturday, as promised. What a terrifying experience. I was so afraid to pick up the phone. It was a CA125 blood test, which is for ovarian cancer. I won't go into all of the reasons (I'll leave that in my memoirs) that the test was necessary, but it makes me sweat just thinking about it. Well, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU GOD, that the test was normal. 

The three days that I waited for the outcome seemed like an eternity. The first day I just felt like there was no problem. Then when things got quiet, I started thinking about the reasons for the test and on the second day I had serious doubts. By the third day, I was angry and could have told you why I was the poster woman for ovarian cancer. I believe my dread was exacerbated by having witnessed a family member go through it. My sister-in-law Shirley, died at the age of 54. She fought hard and lived longer that expected, but it was hell. On the other side of that coin is, that in addition to thinking about the horror that could be ahead, I thought about my family and friends. There was so much to consider, but suffice it to say, I don't have to deal with it at this point, so please allow me to remind you to count your blessings, every day, I definitely will. Right now, to my family and friends, I love you...know it, no matter what, I do.

That leaves the painting di giorno, of a watercolor of a flower pot in my yard. "Flower Pot by the Pond, watercolor on Strathmore, cold press paper, $25.

Isabella's here for a few days, so I need to go cuddle with her. P.S., I still haven't caught that raccoon.

Well I tried to trap the raccoon with a Hav-A-Hart last night and the trap was tripped this morning, but no raccoon inside. I set it again tonight. I'm already weary of this. It's so stressful and breaks my heart for the chickens. I checked the pen for entry points yesterday and reinforced anything even slightly suspicious, but there was definite evidence that it was inside the pen again last night. The chickens are safely barricaded in their hutches and Gussie, our Muscovy duck is locked in a dog pen--not an easy task and he's not happy about it. Even still, they must be terrified at seeing this monster in there trying to get at them. Hopefully tonight he won't be able to resist the trap. Since I can't find the entry or exit points, it looks like I'll have to rebuild the entire top. That'll set me back a few days, but at least I'll be able to sleep at night.

I came very close to posting last night, but couldn't get the photos to upload, so I just went to bed since I had another doctor's appointment this morning for more blood work. Got some good and possibly not so good news, but I'll just have to wait until the results come back on Saturday. I'll let you know what happens. After the doctor, Jay and I went for a walk at Chanticleer, where we're working on walking up a hill without having out chests blow out. Today was day two. 

All of my tax stuff is finished and I'm already starting to feel freer and unburdened by it. I still can't upload any images, must be that time of the month for Blogger. Oh well, I'll try again tomorrow. Good night.

It's just about 5:30 am and I'll finally be going to bed after I post this. When I went out this morning to let the roosters out, there were feathers all over the place and I immediately knew that my last Welsummer hen was gone. That's four hens in two nights, so I decided to wait up and sit with the chickens to see what I'm dealing with. I went out at 8 pm, covered myself with a blanket and sat still. It was chilly, but bearable. Jay came out at 9:30 to say goodnight. I fell asleep right after that. About 10 pm I heard something whining and it woke me up with a start, it was the fox and I really scared her when I lifted my head. She snarled and screeched and ran away. I went back to sleep. Danny came home at 2:30 am and went inside after a few minutes of conversation. Within no time I heard some chattering off in the distance and knew my predator was on it's way. It took about 20 more minutes for me to have to change my position and uncover my head. When I opened my eyes, I saw it and I thought it was an opossum at first, but realized that it was a raccoon. I wanted to see how it was getting into the pen, but it was already in the other side of the pen and had my best hen in it's claws. I jumped up and turned on the flashlight and yelled at it to leave my hen alone and then yelled for Danny. It stopped, turned around and tried to get out of the pen and somehow it did, but I didn't see how. I barricaded the chicken hutches. Danny stood guard for a while, but then had to go help a friend who was on the blue route with a flat tire. I kept watch until now. It came back one more time, but left in a hurry without coming back, when I shined the flashlight on it. My hen seems to be fine. It's a huge raccoon and stinks like a male. I'll put a Hav-a-Hart trap out tomorrow night and that'll be that. Good morning and have a great day.

Hard to believe that September is not only here, but almost halfway gone. Crazy busy for us as usual. We've been to North Carolina and back since my last post, which was very pleasant. Last week we went to Maryland to go to Krista and Carter's for the Sunday before Labor Day. Jay Jr. made a fabulous dinner here for Labor Day. The food was terrific at both events. This weekend my brother Pat came up from Florida. I don't know how much better the weather was here though. I've been running around to different doctors scheduling ultrasounds, EKGs, nuclear stress tests, MRIs, biopsies, blood work, etc. It's no wonder I dread going to the doctor. I always feel like I'm going to get more than I bargained for. No matter, I'm keeping my attitude positive. On the plus side, I'm going to propose keeping chickens as a way to be healthier. I just had blood work done and my hba1c was 6.1, cholesterol was 163. Liver and kidney functions were great and all of my other levels were great. Blood pressure was 112/78. This is a dramatic improvement since I started keeping chickens again. My stress levels would be better if it weren't for that damn fox and her bratty kids. I've lost five hens over the past month. I can't let any of the chickens out if I'm not right next to them. The fox is now coming before they are locked up for the night. She must have brought her kids with her last night because three Welsummer hens were gone before I got down to the pen to see what they were fussing about. That won't happen again.With all of this and some unfinished tax stuff, I haven't picked up a brush, except to varnish some previously sold paintings. So I need to get back to work.I'll leave you with an adorable, photo that my daughter Jeanie sent to me of her three kids saying their prayers. Goodnight, remember to say yours and include one for me. Thanx.

Well, obviously the image from yesterday didn't come through, but I was able to get Josie's birthday party shot uploaded for tonight. As you can see from the state of her hair that she was having a really good time. She was very concerned that hers was the only breath that blew out her birthday candles. 

Tonight we did S'mores outside with all of the kids. After that Jay played super heros with them. He was "Super Wash Rag", because that's what they needed after the sticky mess they were. He was hysterical with them. I'm sure the neighbors thought they were being murdered, the way all three of them were screaming. Needless to say Jay and his new knees are doing great. No more cane or prescription painkillers. He's teaching and even back to landscaping, part-time. He still has his rehab for regaining full range of motion, three days a week and a regimen of exercises. We've even started our walks again. Dr. Booth did a wonderful job, but he has a terrific patient working with him. These kids have me wiped out, between them and the chilly weather, which I totally love, I'm going to hit the sack early tonight. Can't believe I can say this in the middle of August, but, stay cozy!

My precious little Josie has turned three years old on the 14th. She 's the youngest of my four grandchildren. I went to Maryland on Thursday for her cowgirl-themed birthday party. There were pony rides and ponies on a stick, along with tattoos and yummy cupcakes. So much fun. I came home with three party favors--Gabriel, Jonah and Isabella. Josie is in Wyoming at a dude ranch. For real! Apparently it's an amazing place and I'll hear all about it when she returns.

The Johnson kids are keeping me hopping. We've had a great time with them here. Picnics, campfires, S'mores, movies, Gameboys, swimming in the "wimming pool, with her wimming suit", as Isabella says. I'm lovin' it. Josie's birthday pix are on my other camera, so I'll leave you with another image from California. It's of one the little quail that run all over the place on the Fedrick Ranch. "Lookout", 8"x10" photo--color or black and white, $75., framed.Sorry, I can't get this image to upload.

Cine, Penny and I went to see "Mama Mia"tonight.While it's a feel good movie, it made me feel like I was 100 hundred years old the way Merle Streep was running, jumping and bouncing around. Maybe if I took 50 Motrin I could do a little bit of her acrobatics,I'm just jealous. We really enjoyed the movie. After we went to Theresa's Next Door to see Cine's son Brian and to be one of the first to wish him Happy 21st Birthday! Whew, even I remember what a huge deal turning 21 is. Happy Birthday Brian.

OK, I have no idea why everything is underlined here. There is no underline option, so I can't figure it out. It must be related to that weird A thing that occasionally happens. Anyway, after that, I called Jay and asked him to join me for a drink at Georges' to see what the boys were up to. I knew that a form of Absinthe was available again, so in the tradition of Modigliani and so many other artists, I decided to try it. It's not like the original that is green, aka "The Green Fairy", nor is it derived from wormwood, but it was delicious. It goes down much easier than Sambuca, because it's much smoother. I got a tour of the kitchen, prep kitchen and bakery by Jay Jr. Rest assured that everything is immaculate. I was very impressed.

The image tonight is from the first morning on the Fedrick Ranch. This was the view from the guest quarters where we stayed. I'd like to do a painting of this someday.

We had a busy, but enjoyable weekend. Saturday, Celeste and I went to Jessica and Pat's wedding shower. Jessica's friends, Kim and Megan did an outstanding job of putting it all together. It was great to meet Jessica's family as well. After, Jay Sr., Celeste, Pat, Jessica and I all met up at Georges'. The food was really wonderful. The specials were just so good.

Yesterday Jay and I went to the Brandywine River Museum and saw the Alfred Munnings exhibit. I was totally taken with his work. I love his brushstrokes and colors. Jay didn't like his watercolors, but I sure did. I thought that he handled his watercolors like oils, in that he not only used a lot of white paint, but he also used it on top of his darks. In any case, I liked the way he handled it. To me it was very effective and moody.

The painting above is of the Agapanthus by the pool at Kristy and Ron Fedrick's house, where we stayed while in California. Agapanthus grows everywhere out there and is so strikingly beautiful. I saw it in several shades of blue and also in white.

"Kristy and Ron's Agapanthus", 9"x12"pastel on Canson Mi-Tientes paper. Not for sale, I left it as a token of our gratitude for their graciousness and hospitality.

This image is pretty typical of the vineyards you would see in California. Misty mountains in the background with a bright, sunny, comfortable day. Amazingly like the weather we're having here in Wayne, PA. This is wonderful weather for the "dog days of August". I'm lovin' it. 

Tomorrow will be a busy day, my nephew Pat and his fiance', Jessica's wedding shower will be held in the afternoon, so I probably won't get home until late, which means that I need to wish my Aunt Jeannie a very Happy Birthday! Hope your day is all that you could want. We love you and miss you. With that, I'll say goodnight and wish all of you a fabulous weekend.

Tonight I had dinner at Georges' with Cine and Penny. It was great to be with them and also to be back at Georges'. They changed the menu and the food was really good. Cine and I had the duck duo which we loved and Penny had the burger which is usually excellent as it was tonight. We just about closed the place. We had tons to catch up on. Cine has never been to California, so I was telling her about the landscape etc., and we got on to last night's blog about Trinity Road. I was saying that it was so high up that you could see the vultures flying around below. That's when Penny chimed in, "that's right, they're waiting for you to fly off the road and get killed!". I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Good one Penny. Above is a photo of Jay at Quarry Hill Botanical Gardens. It was pleasant, but it was the last thing we did before we got on Trinity Road, so now I associate it with the sadistic bitch who told us that we could take that shortcut. Just kidding. She was very nice and stressed caution on the hairpin turns and curves. I guess I need to let the Trinity Road thing go.

Ok, tomorrow I won't mention it.

'Nite.

Tuesday was my 200th post. It's been a great time sharing with people from all over the world. In that time, there have been 45,587 hits. Being that it's just me, that amazes me.

The image that I chose for you tonight is of a place close to the top of Trinity Road. We took it as a shortcut to Napa. I personally believe that the reason that it's named Trinity Road is because whether you are Catholic or not, you are constantly praying to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost while you are ascending into the heavens and melting your brakes on the way down into hell, that you'll be alive at the end of it. The trees in the foreground are higher than where the vultures fly. It's one of those California roads that goes over an entire mountain, where there are no guard rails and the drop goes for miles over the side of extreme narrowness with a zillion, hairpin turns to keep you awake, a wreck and nauseous. What sick, disturbed creature designed something like this for people to travel on? I had Jay pullover at one point because my lips were sweating and I felt like I was going to lose the lunch that I hadn't eaten yet! Anyway, as you can see, the view is spectacular. The lunch we had at the Rutherford Grill was delicious. A glass of wine never tasted better, was more deserved or needed. We visited Silver Oaks Vineyards after that for a tasting. We enjoyed their wine, the staff was very friendly and gracious. I'd go back for sure, but not via Trinity Road.

Enjoy the rest of your night.

Today is Jonah's 6th birthday.....really hard to believe. I was in the delivery room when he was born and cut the cord. He even smiled at me. Wow, six years ago.

I just got back from Maryland to help celebrate. Krista and Josie were there too. What a great day. Sunday was Carter's birthday, Happy Birthday guys, I love you.

I'm really wiped out, but I promised the story about Celeste, Jay and Danny in California. Totally unbeknownst to Jay Sr. and I, the kids have been planning a surprise attack on us while we were in California for the past six months. During that entire time, both boys have done nothing but moan and groan about us going to California without them. Well, on the Sunday after our arrival, Jeanie drove us out to where we had dinner reservations at Bouchon in Yountville. We checked in at the desk and went outside to wait for our table. Shortly after I saw something coming around the corner, moving fast---people don't move fast in California---and wearing suits---something else people in California don't do. You guessed it, it was Jay, Danny and Celeste (sans suit, but with a pretty dress on) crashing the party!!! They had just flown in from Philly to surprise us and boy did they ever! They had all of the staff at the Bouchon Restaurant and Bakery in on it. The staff at both places which are next door to each other, were hiding them and cued them to come out. Jay Sr. saw my expression of shock and awe and wondered who I could possibly know in California. It was truly a highlight of my life. Jay Sr. and I didn't have the slightest inkling. My kids are such great actors. Danny even called me when he was actually in California telling me how he, Jay and Celeste had been sitting around at the pool at Jay and Celeste's apartment complex in Malvern all day, since it was so stinkin' hot and humid in Wayne---another thing California doesn't have, humidity --- and that they were on their way to Theresa's next Door for dinner, but they were stuck in traffic because there was a peace demonstration on the corner not far from our house. I also spoke with Krista and she didn't give me a clue either.

We were so shocked, so surprised, so happy, so emotional and so embarrassed because I was blubbering like a fool and didn't have waterproof mascara on, but it was so worth it. Thank you Kids, for making our 30th anniversary the best yet. After the big scene, the general manager of Bouchon brought out sparkling wine--they don't call it champagne in California, because if it's made there and not France, it's technically not champagne, but it tastes just as good. We had a phenomenal dinner to follow all of the excitement. The service was impeccable. The night was just awesome. I still get teary every time I tell the story, so that's it for tonight, I really need to go to bed. Good night.

We're home from California, but not loving that fact. We've been there a few times before, but saw it in a totally new way this time. The people were so friendly and generous. "Attitude" just didn't exist. The landscape and views were more than spectacular. At one point Celeste and I (more about her and the boys tomorrow) were standing in front of the "French Laundry's" vegetable garden, which is across the street from the restaurant. It was early evening and the sun was low with it's rays slanting across the valley, rim lighting the garden in a golden, hazy halo, with the mist on the mountains in the background. We looked at each other and just knew that this is what we are all about. This kind of California embodies who we are. It was so moving that we stood on the spot and prayed. I'll be sharing more about it all week. Instead of paintings I'll be posting photos, as I need to start California vineyard and landscape paintings while the emotion is still so strong in my heart.

The painting di giorno was started before we left, but I couldn't finish it because someone ate the fruit....no, it wasn't me. The style is much more loose and impressionistic than usual, but I suppose that's a consequence of a renewed spirit. It definitely looks better in person. Better clarity and contrast."Regal Moth and Peaches", 6"x6", oil over egg tempera on gessobord, $50. framed.

We've been watching a lot of movies during Jay's recovery and tonight we watched "Disturbia". I loved Alfred Hitchcock when I was growing up. Those ironic, weird, twists and turns his stories took always caught my imagination. So while I thought the acting was great, the modern version had a little too much junk in it for my taste, but I still liked it.

The painting di giorno is another of Penny's hydrangeas, this time with a bite out of one of the plums. I needed it for the complement and it was tasty. Again, on my computer screen, the flowers are a little too blue. It must be something with the digital camera and the way it reads color. "Complementary Bite to Penny's Purple Hydrangea", 7"x5", oil over egg tempera on gessobord, $50., framed. I'm wiped out from working in the heat today. Jay's playing Chopin's "Valse" (Waltz) and it's lulling me to sleep. Just beautiful. Goodnight.

We watched "Modigliani" tonight after another hot and busy day. The movie was interesting, but annoying because of the lack of attention to blatantly obvious details, like the baby being the same age, in the same outfit, throughout the entire movie. I like Andy Garcia in just about anything. The disclaimer in the beginning was also a bummer because supposedly, even though it was titled "Modigliani" and loosely based on him, none of it was true. Jay is upstairs on the computer finding out the truth. In any case it was inspirational.

My painting di giorno is of one of the mop heads from the purple hydrangea bouquet Penny and David brought the other night. This bloom, while definitely having more blue in it than the last one, according to my computer screen, has too much of a blue cast and not enough purple hues. The Key limes were so cute and tiny. I've never painted limes before, so I put them in as a complement.

"Penny's Purple Hydrangea and Key Limes", oil over egg tempera on gessobord, 7"x5", $50., framed.

Well we're coming down the home stretch for our trip to California. I spent a good part of the day getting the chickens situated so that the person caring for them will have everything they need on hand and conveniently located. I still have plenty of work ahead of me.

The painting di giorno is of a moth that I found dying outside of the drugstore while getting Jay's prescriptions. It's a Regal moth and they're enormous. Her body is at least 6 inches long. They don't eat and only live for a few days, but she laid eggs before she died. She still is so beautiful and her colors were even more vibrant when she was alive. I think we found a Regal moth caterpillar about 10 years ago, but I've never seen this kind of moth before.

"Regal Moth", 7"x5", oil over egg tempera on gessobord, $50. framed.Sold.

The weekend came and went. Here it is Monday again. We had a very productive weekend. Friday night we were invited to a concert at the Woodmere Gallery in Chestnut Hill. It was hosted by Estonia Piano Company, www.estoniapiano.com and started with a young man of 10 years old, who has been taking lessons for all of four years. This child has the makings of a prodigy, with the moves of a concert pianist. I kept looking around at the rest of the audience to see if they were also picking up their jaw from the floor. This kid was fantastic! So was the next performer, an "older" boy of 12, who was really not so much a pianist, (could have fooled me) but a composer, very impressive. Then there was Dr. Laul, the 38 year old owner of Estonia. Wow, is all I can say! I was transported.The combination of music and art was a heavenly evening for me. I wanted to go upstairs to the balcony where they keep the Delaware Valley Legacy exhibit, but never got there, so we went back yesterday. While I looked at the paintings, Jay serenaded me on the pianos that were left there from Friday night. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It was the best exhibit experience I've ever had.In between those two events, we shopped and ran errands and I put together some chicken houses. It was miserably hot and humid on Saturday, so I had to take many breaks and check out gardening stuff on eBay.Last night we watched "Love Song for Bobby Long", which we really enjoyed. I think John Travolta gets better with age. All of the acting was good. Speaking of which, our next door neighbor Rich Alliger is doing a commercial these days to encourage Pennsylvanians to quit smoking without a bad attitude. He's the grump in the second skit. I love this guy. He's got panache! We had a busy morning and afternoon today, which means I started painting late, but was close to finishing when Penny and David dropped by with a gorgeous bouquet of mixed hydrangeas and Vitex. They haven't popped in like that for a very long time. We hung out and talked for hours. It was terrific. I really miss that. Just us, without distractions.

So that means that the painting for today will have to wait until tomorrow to be posted. I'll think you'll find it interesting.

We sure got a lot of rain today. I thought the storm we had would bring in some cooler, less humid air, but when I went out tonight to bring the roosters in, it was like someone had been making soup out there all day. Brutal, but at least I don't have to water everything.

Jay started back teaching today for the first time since his surgery. Both students came here and I could see how much he enjoys his job.We've been watching a lot of movies while Jay has been recovering and I'm still fascinated with Javier Bardem. He's so versatile and his characters are so different in every movie. Last night we watched "Death at a Funeral" and the night before "Atonement", both recommended by our British friend Gill Blair. The photography and costumes in "Atonement" were just beautiful, while we got plenty of laughs out of "Death at a Funeral".

As promised, above is the painting of Penny's hydrangea from our anniversary bouquet. The purple plums had the similar colors so I included them. "Penny's Purple Hydrangea and Plums", 7"x5",oil over egg tempera, on gessobord, $50., framed. SOLD--thank you Penny and David.

Wow, this past month flew by fast. Jay's surgery went very well. Both knees are working, even though he still has considerable pain. It amazes me that he can walk up the stairs, sometimes without his cane, or holding on to the railing. I can't even do that! He's such a show off ; ))

We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary on the 1st of July, but had a big party on the 29th of June. Chef Kenny, did some wonderfully delicious stuff with the rabbit. Jay Jr. made the best quail I've ever had and Tom Wolters did a really tasty, grass-fed poussin. Chef Joe Frost sent some rabbit confit with pappardelle that he prepared--not a drop was left. Joe and Ashley couldn't be here because Joe's grandfather was in the hospital. We're thinking of you and praying for your Grandfather, Joe. Lenny and Cine did fabulous desserts. Cine's son Brian brought great wine and he and his friend Lauren were a pleasure to finally have here. Our neighbors Pat and Rich gave us a beautiful Lenox Anniversary plate. My cousin Larry and Marilena brought a very nice bottle of wine and a gorgeous bouquet of roses that I would love to paint. The guys from Theresa's Next Door came with a terrific assortment of beer and my godson Nicky hauled a cake that must have weighed 50lbs and it was all good! He and Leanne also gave us an over the top present of a big, cobalt blue Kosta Boda bottle that is just incredible. Really. My Aunt Jeannie also went all out and gave us a magnificent and really heavy, cut crystal Orrefors vase that was perfect for the perfect, white gladiolas that my nephew Pat and his fiance' Jessica gave us. Peter Maggio came after work and brought some good laughs with him and laughed with us at Danny's crazy stories. It was a very good time. There was more wine brought and great food that Jay and Celeste prepared. We also got to tell everyone about Josh and Lauren's "bun in the oven". Congratulations kids! Rich and Dee Mattis came with a serious bottle of champagne and Lillian predicted that her very soon to be, if not already born, sibling, would be a girl, named Rose Red, but if a boy, Rose Blue. She's truly an amazing child who at two years old can tell you about lightning bugs and why they glow and taste bitter.

Penny and David brought a shrimp appetizer and flowers as usual. Penny's hydrangeas are always so beautiful and inspiring, so they were my first painting after being away from the easel for so long. They'll be featured tomorrow, since I finished the painting today. I felt rusty, but am looking forward to another painting tomorrow. I have been doing some sketching, which I haven't done for years. Since I've been taking Jay to Chanticleer daily for the past week for his walk, I figured it would be a good time to get some practice in.

Asser moved to Boston and we really miss him.

Today I picked my first tomatoes and peppers. The photo above shows my harvest. No great shakes, but it sure makes me happy. The raspberries grow wild here, but most of my strawberries were a little slimy from all of the rain and humidity, so I gave them to the chickens. We've already been eating a lot of them, along with the blueberries, but the good ones looked nice in the basket even if there were only a few of them. The eggs from the Ameraucanas look white, but they're actually light blue. The quail are all grown up and laying eggs as you can see. The brown eggs are from my Welsumers and are darker than the photo shows. Lots of new chickens here, but that's a another story for another day.

Sorry for not having posted, but the strep throat went into bronchitis, blah, blah, that I'm still not over, along with business travel, grandchildren here, still here, family here and now preparing for Jay's double knee replacement surgery, hasn't left me with time to get to the brushes and paint. That doesn't mean that there's a lack of inspiration. I have three gorgeous colors of bearded irises calling to me, as well as many other beautiful flowers and animals at this time of year. As always lots of excitement, the fox was just outside my studio door this morning when I went out at 10 a.m. That really shook the both of us up. Jay Jr. has officially been promoted to sous chef at Georges'. Congratulations Jay! We're extremely proud of him. We did get a day off on the 25th of May to go to Patricia and Adam's for a cookout and some of the best home-cooked food that I've had anywhere. Adam, who cooks for our chef's dinners here, was really in his element cooking at his and Patricia's home. Everything was outstanding. Such a hospitable couple...I should say family, because their five year old daughter Anastasia loves to have guests. We closed the place, leaving at 1:30 a.m., but you wouldn't want to leave either. It was a fantastic party. Thank you Patricia, Adam and Anastasia. I will try to get some paintings, or at least some photos posted ASAP. In the meantime, say a prayer for Jay on Thursday as he has his surgery.

I don't have a painting for you tonight because I've been sick in bed with a fever and brutally sore throat. I have a doctor's appointment in the morning. I know that you hear it all the time, but it's true, it really is a small world. During my last exhibit at the Gryphon Cafe', my painting with the Pepino melon and Hyacinth bean got sold by one of the staff. It always saddens me when they don't keep a record of who buys the paintings, because I get an empty feeling not knowing where the paintings went. Without going into a bunch of psychological self-examination, I'm sure you can understand how every painting I do, no matter the size or subject, is naturally an extension of myself and I'll always have an attachment to it. So, when I got a call from a gentleman saying that he had bought the painting and was interested in one on my website, it tucked that anxiety away. Now the small world part...Peter came to the studio tonight and before he bought not one, but three paintings, we shared our backgrounds, not knowing that they'd be so connected. We grew up only blocks away from each other. Probably only separated by the fact that we went to different schools. The recollections were warm, bittersweet and sometimes hilarious. We're already kindred spirits, our lives running parallel all of these years and now, bam, we finally meet and become instant friends. Don't you love it when that happens? I often say that "I'm living the dream", and on days like today, when I feel like shutting the world out, but let someone in, more of that dream becomes reality. I've gotta go, I can't wait to call my brother and tell him all of the good stories. I'll try to paint tomorrow with the doctor's appointment, etc. Good night and thank you for everything Peter .

I contacted Blogger for help on posting photos, since now I can't post older photos that have already been published without problems. Sorry again. I'll try back tomorrow.

I don't know who's responsible for fixing the problems with uploading and publishing, but thank you very much. I've tried for over an hour to publish the photo of the painting that I did today. Last night I had problems publishing yesterday's post, but I was able to get it on here even though Blogger said that it hadn't been posted. Today it's the image. So until I can figure it out or Blogger gets it corrected, I'll just keep trying and save the images for you. Say a prayer that it gets fixed by tomorrow. Sorry. 'Til then.....Marans chickens and their eggs are amazing to me. They are French chickens. I've been fascinated with them for a long time and painting them for about a year. I've learned quite a bit about them in that time and especially now that I have a small flock of them. The chickens are so nice and easy. They're calm and friendly and really big. The eggs feed into my "egg thing", big time. They really do look like milk chocolate eggs. Some have freckles and specks on them, like one of them in today's painting, but most I've seen have even color. The darkness of the eggs, is due to the eggs spending more time in the hen's body, where the application of pigment is applied to the egg. This means that the longer the egg is in there, the darker it will be, it also means that the color can be scratched off. There is actually a chart for egg color that runs from 1 to 9. With 9 being the darkest and most desirable. The black copper variety of Marans (there are several colors and patterns of Marans chickens) are said to lay the darkest eggs. The thing is, the hen usually doesn't lay consistently dark eggs throughout the season. Usually her darkest eggs are laid in the beginning of the egg-laying season. The hens that consistently lay the darkest eggs, for the longest period are the most desirable and their fertile eggs bring big $$$.

So, having said all of that, mypainting di giorno is of three, of the four eggs that my black copper chicks hatched from. "Three French Eggs--Hatched", 7"x5", oil over egg tempera on gessobord, $50., framed.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back here. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I have missed being here.As always, so much going on, we've had adorable little chicks hatching, but they sure do stink up the joint! They're a lot of work but very enjoyable. Princess Leia/Senor went to be with her new husband since she turned out to be a girl and laid two eggs. She has been replaced by Frankie, a beautiful, singing canary.

I've spent a lot of time having all kinds of medical tests for the issues with Lyme disease. I'm back on antibiotics. I really like my new rheumatologist, Dr. Jennifer Kwan-Morley. She's really a blessing and I feel like she'll be able to help me. Isabella was here again for a week. She's my big helper with the chickens and the bunnies. When I took her home, it was the night for Gabriel and Jonah's Spring Program. I loved it. I got to see Krista and Josie also. We all had dinner together and Josie was very concerned about Isabella getting the correct beverage. She made it her job to keep the server on his toes. She'll be in upper management for sure. I predict Isabella will have a very bright future as an artist. Seriously, this child uses color and pattern in a way I've never seen. I know I sound like a doting grandmother, but honestly, she's got something special. I should mention here that I realize that my punctuation is all wrong, but if I make indentations, paragraphs or spaces, those weird "A" things show up. But the PITA part is that it doesn't happen until I'm finished and I publish the post.Mike Selverian turned 50 years old. Happy, happy birthday Mike! We love you. My Mother's Day was awesome. Jay Sr. and I went to the Italian Market and got Italian meats and cheeses, olives and tomatoes. We already had some special olive oil from Le Virtue, when we had dinner there a couple of weeks previous. Modi sent the bread, the prosecco and wine made it complete. We sat around the table and ate and talked for a few hours while we listened to Julius LaRosa, Frank, Dean and Louis Prima, then watched a movie. After that Jay Jr. made a delicious dinner of spaghetti and "gravy", seasoned with pork jowls. Very relaxing, just the way I wanted it.I sold a few paintings last week, which is always a shot in the arm. Thank you to my buyers. We had the first of our big chef's dinners on the 27th of April. There were several chefs preparing all kinds of rabbit, chicken and venison dishes. Jay Jr. did most of the sides and everyone else brought wine or desserts. Modi (sp?) made the bread. Oh man, what a fabulous kick off to the season. I can't wait for the next one. Penny, Cine and I had dinner at Georges' last week. We closed the place as usual. The food was wonderful. Jay had his student's recital yesterday, which is always a treat. We went to Maia in Villanova after. It was very good. He has to have both knees replaced and the date has been set for early next month. We've been watching movies on the weekends when we get a chance. "No Country for Old Men" left me with the need to see Javier Bardem in every movie he's ever been in. I'm so fascinated with his diversity as an actor. It's not a physical attraction, I just can't get over how he can play so many extremely, opposite parts, so well. It was Asser's birthday on April 30th. Happy birthday with our love, handsome!  

The "painting di giorno" or my painting of the day, is of the lovely, dark brown eggs that my black Penedesenca hen has been laying. She is the most difficult chicken I have ever owned. She just wants to be wild. After a month, I gave her the option to free-range with the rest of the flock. She decided to roam away all by herself to the neighbor's house...of course it's the only neighbor that would complain, so I had to go round her up and chase her home through a field of brambles and poison oak. She's lucky I love to paint her eggs.

"Penedesenca Eggs and Egg Cup", oil on gessobord, 6"x6", $50., framed.

I finished putting my garden in tonight, so I'll be back tomorrow.

The quail started hatching on Tuesday, but they weren't supposed to until today. Once a few started hatching they were all popping out like popcorn. I couldn't stop watching them. I didn't even start a painting that day. The rest of them finished hatching yesterday, so I got them all set up in their little brooder box, with a heat lamp, etc. After that, I put a chair next to them and watched them, teaching them how to drink and sprinkling food around so they'd learn how to eat it...on and off all day. There are about 25 of them, I lost count when I was transferring them out of the incubator and they're so tiny and fragile that I didn't want to start over, so I'll do it again in a day or so when I put them in a bigger box. They are so stinkin' cute! They're about the size of a big bumblebee. They run around in their box, very busy eating and drinking. They're amazingly quiet, which is a good sign, because it means that they're content. I worked outside all day today. Cutting the forsythia back from around the old chicken pen. It's time to get the girls out of the garden. Just a gorgeous day here. The painting above was finished last night, but it was after midnight, so I figured I'd post it tonight. When I put the hatched eggs on the table, the egg cup was already there and it kind of reminded me of the eggs, so I included it in the painting. "Sure Sign of Spring--Hatched Quail Eggs", 6"x6", oil on gessobord, $50. framed. SOLD- thank you Cine.

We made it out to Vetri on Saturday night for our belated Valentine's dinner.Now I could sit here for a week and glorify our experience and it would be well- deserved. But I won't. I will say that it was one of the best dinners that I have ever had and I'll never forget it. I hope. We did the chef's grand tasting menu, with the wine pairings. We'll be talking about it for a long time. I took a dozen of our blue and green Ameraucana eggs for the chef, Marc Vetri, so he came out to meet us. Such a down-to-earth guy. We also met the nicest couple, Michelle and John. It was a pleasure to share the experience with them. Boy, would I love to eat there once a week. One of my favorite things about having dinner there is that they send you home with a goodie bag. The menu that Chef Vetri hand paints that day, the wine list of the pairings, some biscotti, a Zagat guide and our desserts that we couldn't finish were all included in a nicely designed bag. An Italian touch for sure. I never went home empty handed from my Grandmother's house. Here's a link, check it out. The photography is beautifulwww.vetriristorante.com

Yesterday we went to NYC. It was a wonderful time. We tried going to the Frick Museum, but everything was blocked off due to the Greek parade, so we went to the St. Regis Hotel, to the King Cole Bar for a snack and a Bloody Mary. It's where the drink was invented. The mural of "Old King Cole" by Maxfield Parrish is there behind the bar. It's always fun to hear Bob, the bartender retell the story about it. We left there and went to Les Halles on Park Avenue. It's the restaurant where Anthony Bordain worked for so many years. We were all really pleased with our food. After that we took a walk through Soho and wound up at Lupa, where we had phenomenal food and wine. We'll be going back there for sure. Then we walked some more and went to Vintage to try some flights of NY wines and their home made ice creams for dessert. Finally, Celeste drove us home. It was a happy and memorable day. Happy Birthday Jay.

I love pansies, so today I painted one that Jay Sr. gave me for Easter. The lesser celandine, which is a very invasive bulb that grows wild everywhere, was a good match for the pansy in the mini arrangement. "Pansy in an Antique Eggcup", 5"x7", oil on gessobord, $50., framed.

By now you may have heard the news on channel 6 last night. Georges Perrier has given back his Mobil 5 Stars and is transforming Le Bec Fin from very formal, white glove service, (which it has been for the past 38 years) to a more casual restaurant where you can wear jeans. He was very emotional about it, which made me feel sad for him. He was 26 when he opened Le Bec Fin. That's Danny's age. Wow! The news said he had to call his 97 year old mother to tell her. The interview showed him having some regrets about being so consumed with work. At 64, he's obviously rethinking the rest of his life. He said he wants to have fun. Good for him. Good luck Chef.

Last night and all of today so far, I've had nothing but aggravation with our computers. We couldn't get online. It's amazing to me how when there is trouble with them, the hours dissolve away. Dissolve seems too nice a word. Like it's happening peacefully. If you've had this experience, you know that peaceful, it's not, when you're ready to rip all of the wires out and smash everything with a sledgehammer, so that it all dissolves that way.For some reason, the clouds in the sky just cleared, it's sunny and we can get online again. No thanks to me and all of my efforts at all. Well, thank you Jesus!

Since I couldn't post last night, Jay and I watched "No Country for Old Men". The acting is just awesome, in the literal sense of the word. That Javier is indescribable. Where did he come from? How bizarre is he? I had listened to the book last fall on my trips back and forth to Maryland. I really liked it. I didn't even know that they made a movie out of it. The book helped my understanding of the movie. So read the book first if you can.My "yesterday's" painting....hmm, I may be onto something here, anyway, it's of Glory of the Snow flowers, which I saw on my way in from getting the mail. I planted them about 25 years ago. They're one of my favorite spring bulbs. They're a little bluer in the image than in the actual painting. I love them in the antique, enamelware, egg cup. "Glory of the Snow", 5"x7", oil over egg tempera, on gessobord, $50., framed.Sold--thank you Peter.Enjoy your weekend.

Spring is now official for me. Jay and I took our walk at Chanticleer this afternoon. Even though it's still pretty chilly, there are zillions of flowers up to inspire me, so I'm going to paint flowers for awhile. I'll include eggs here and there as well. Speaking of which, the first batch of quail eggs are due to hatch on the 10th. When I candle them (hold a concentrated source of light, like a mini Maglite against them in a dark room) I can see the veins developing and the chicks bouncing around. It is so amazing. I can't remember what else I had to tell you, so I'll close for tonight. Chet Baker is singing to me with his soft, soothing voice and it's making me sleepy. It could also be that I was up until 4:30 this morning reading "Soul of a Chef" and it's to the part about Thomas Keller and The French Laundry. I can't stop reading it.

"Purple Tulips", 5"x7", oil on gessobord, $50., framed.Sold...thank you Peter.