My first snowfall this season...

"We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand...and melting like a
snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late."
   Marie Beron Rray

Jonah and Beethoven

Jonah is seven years old and in the first grade. He is one of my four grandchildren. Matthew and Jonah live a stone's throw away which has made for a wonderful childhood for them and a loving experience for me. Holly and Brianna live near Phoenix, and I am sorry to say, just a few trips a year.

Over Christmas vacation Jonah expressed an interest in piano as he began to play from ear O Christmas Tree and various other Christmas carols. He started taking lessons from my neighbor, Nate, who is an accomplished musician although he is still in high school. Nate is a pusher for Jonah. He has skipped the early books with songs such as This is Up, This is Down! (Those were my first songs as well!) Jonah is learning words such as fortissimo, treble clef as well as all the keys of the piano.

This past lesson he was given Ode to Joy by Beethoven. Since there is no piano at Jonah and Matthew's house, the piano practicing is at my house on my old upright. I have been hearing Ode to Joy for days now!

The past couple of afternoons after school Jonah and I have listened to musicians, young and old, play this piece on Utube. We have also started our study of Beethoven.

During a phone call with my friend Melissa yesterday, we discussed how it seems the world is a bit disinterested in classical music. Melissa is a harpist and a fine one. Her music is featured on my fairy tale CD, and we have a new show coming out in the fall.

Melissa, listen carefully, classical music is alive and well. Maybe it is up to us to just teach it to the world.

So for all the Melissas and Jonahs in the world, happy playing and thank you for making our world more beautiful.



Keep your eye on the goal...

Most of you know my stories, my life...I keep everything pretty much in the open. It has almost been two years since my accident in China which changed alot of things for me.

Without going in to a lot of detail, it has been a long recovery with still much work to be done. I am a believer in doing, however, so I keep working hard on my goals.

This morning a great milestone was reached as I was able to walk 20 minutes on the treadmill without holding on. When I first started working out again after the physical therapy, I held on to the handles for dear life, seriously.

After my trip to Jonesboro in October, I realized that I was still having difficulty walking up the hills to the Tent on the Hill (some of you know what I mean). I discussed this with Carrie, my trainer, when I returned and we began holding onto weights as I walked the treadmill. First the right hand, then the left hand with the other hand always on the handle.

I laughed at Carrie and told her that was exactly how my mother taught me to walk, only with clothespins, not weights.

This morning was my first to walk without holding on. Of course I went slower and was not able to look around just concentrating on my balance. It really was hard work for me. Carrie was working out next to me the whole time. Maybe she was worried or just encouraging, but I wanted to look at her. When I turned my head I lost my balance and fell. Luckily I jumped off fast enough so that no damage was done. We were both very shaken up, but then we laughed about it.
OK, maybe I can fall off and get back on we said.

I got to thinking about my work, my art, my writing. Staying focused has always been a difficult for me and I try to work in small increments because of it. When I stay focused I can get so much done, but when I take my eyes off my work, I lose my balance. Yet on the other hand, there is a lot of scenery when we do look away.

I guess that is what life is made up of...balancing.

Art Out my Window

Here are a few photos from my train window last week. Maybe someone can identify where the first two are located!

Also, my fellow followers, I love all your responses. I realize that they all do not end up on the blog, but on my email. I am trying to remedy that situation. In the meantime, thanks for reading and responding, it makes my solitary writing life a bit more enjoyable!

I think this is Richmond, Virginia?

A train depot from long ago! Please keep restored!

Dancing Crescent Moon out my Window!

Lou Ann

W.B. Yeats

It has been busy and a bit hectic since I returned from Ocracoke with Philip. I have, however, still had a little time to study for my class. We are currently (still) on Yeats. I found one of his poems on utube. It is lovely and moving and brought me to tears. Let me know how you feel about it as well.

Switching gears...

Back to work at the Indiana Studio.

So here I am, one ferry, car, and train trip later. Traveling by train gives me time to adjust to all the differences that my life is made up of. Switching gears. The train whistles and moves forward as I do. The tracks are switched as we changed directions or let other trains pass us in the night.

I have been thinking the past couple of days how my life is indeed like a train...moving, bell ringing, track switching...coming and going. We are all like that really...ready to go when the train shows up on our door or when we are dropped off in the early morning darkness with suitcase in hand watching the sun come up.

The boxes are suitcases are unpacked, work is backed up from a couple of days on the road and weeks away from the studio (the still unnamed studio!)

However, don't be dismayed, there are seashells and sand in the pocket of my winter coat from our last walk on the beach.

Art Out My Window

This Monday the Art Out My Window is the window looking out from Philip's shower on Ocracoke. This is definitely my choice of shower...outside under the cedars and yaupons. I have to admit that I only use it in summer, but Philip showers every morning, even in winter, outside mixing steam and frost in the early morning air.

One morning I was looking out the window in the kitchen and the sun was streaming in the beautiful stained glass window through the outside shower, and I knew this would be my favorite picture of the week. Enjoy!