July 30, 2010
I've added some photos to my beach page.
**************************************************
July 29, 2010
* I've added a discussion on near-death experiences to the
"On My Mind" section.
* My first painting in over a year:
"The First Time", acrylic on canvas.
* I've redone and updated my page on Old Barns and
Buildings. I will be working on adding beach photos in the next
day or two.
* Going to play putt putt for the first time in many years today.
**************************************************
July 18, 2010
Ghost?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A new poem:
Grinder
My mind's at it again,
won't let me sleep. It's on that train. The locomotive to the
land of the agony dwellers.
There is a sawing on the roof in the back of my mind,
my head is grinding like sand under the weight of a hammer
and the lever to the machine doesn't have an “off” position.
All it takes is one word, one phrase, one beat of the drum to
send me spinning into nowhere. At least nowhere pleasant.
So, how do you do this, make me shrivel like a slug under the
flurry of salt?
How do you take the last rise from me? How do you make me
fall under the weight of my own consciousness? Because I let
you. I let you seep into me like poison. Your vapors, the elixir
for the self-righteous. Always the devouring. Never just a bite.
Time does not bring me respite, I can only hope for the
forgetting, and words of assurance in the multitude to soothe
my teeming brain.
If only I could harness these words, these thoughts, these
schemes, I could erect monuments to honor the inventors of
time. I could transcend the metaphysical, develop mental
concrete. But then what would I do? I might be happy, I
might not wait for the other shoe to...come crashing through
the ceiling.
For now, it is quiet. For now, the forgetting has arrived. For
now, I will savor the look, the life. Until next time...
2010
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Haunted House" (Actually, this is in North Myrtle Beach. It
sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the array of mini-golf
courses, beachwear stores, and food joints. Apparently it
used to be a pasta and pizza restaurant.)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I've added some pictures from a June hike to Looking Glass
and Hooker Falls at Dupont State Forest, NC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Myrtle Beach at Sunrise, July 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------
That's all for now. There will be more updates in the coming
weeks.
**************************************************
July 9, 2010
I just added my 12th art newsletter, on Robert Motherwell and
Amanda Rae from Scotland/U.K.
I have a lot of updates to do, which will be in the coming
weeks. I have to get my studio set up!
**************************************************
July 5, 2010
I've been really busy, as you can imagine. The house has been
put together except for the kitchen table and my studio.
Sunrise beach pics and video coming soon!
Hope you had a great 4th!
**************************************************
June 29, 2010
Well, we are finally settled. The move went well, despite
having to get new movers on both ends at the last minute. I
got about 100 emails! It worked out for the best. We love the
new place. I especially love the jacuzzi tub. It is definitely
about 5 steps up from the last place. The cost of living is lower
here than in Asheville. The heat is crazy! I am going to start
running again soon and I am going to have to go at 5:00 a.m.
Not sure when I will paint - I guess right after that. It has
been a year since I painted so it will take a while to get back
into the groove. It is going to take a while to get the garage
set up.
I have some waterfall, hiking, and old building pics to post
which I will do soon. There is a really cool black and white
building that sticks out like a sore thumb here that I am going
to get a picture of.
We had to say goodbye to Land of the Sky (our church) last
weekend. It was sad. They asked us to give testimony
(where you talk about your experience with how God has/is
worked/working in your life and your experience with the
church). I went first and Delores second. We shared from the
heart. They are hoping that it will help others who are
apprehensive to do the same thing. I think I will miss the
church even more than the hiking, believe it or not. A close call.
We went to the beach during the day just to take a look. I was
out literally less than 5 minutes and I got sunburned a little on
my face. I think that is pathetic. I am light-skinned, but come
on! It is way too hot to lay out. Maybe at the pool, but not at
the beach. We will do the sunrise/sunset thing.
That's all for now, more later. I will be posting my art
newsletter on the 8th.
**************************************************
June 22, 2010
Much more in the way of updates, etc. to come later this week,
but just wanted to check in to say we are excited about our
move tomorrow! We had to go to Plan B (well, really B and C)
but I took care of things and I think we will be alright.
**************************************************
June 17, 2010
I've posted some of the stuff from the ceremony. More
pictures are to come; one of my friends is having technical
difficulties with her computer/camera.
**************************************************
June 16, 2010
My favorite worship song. I first heard it at Land of the Sky, a
rendition done in a "hippie" style by the guitarist and vocalist
who later played at our ceremony.
**************************************************
June 15, 2010
One week and one day away from the big move! We are so
excited. And sad at the same time. We are going on a hike
with Floyd today to Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock. I
haven't been to either. You know I will be posting pictures!
I have packed my office and D is almost done packing hers. I
have worked out a schedule which includes packing but some
fun too. But we MUST adhere to the schedule to get it all
done. We can't afford a meltdown like last time because we
aren't moving close by. It all has to fit. I may have to rent a
second truck, we have so much stuff. And the truck we have is
supposed to accommodate a 5 bedroom house! We have
mostly art stuff and we both love to read and re-read so we
have a lot of books.
While we are really looking forward to the move, we are really
sad about leaving our church. Yes, there's email and even the
phone, but it's not the same. Our pastors have a special place
in our hearts and minds, and I KNOW we will not find another
church that will come anywhere close to the home we found at
Land of the Sky. Then there's the mountains. I love to hike
and I will be very sad to leave. Granted, it will be nice to be on
flat ground where I can start running again and go to the pool
and the beach. Well, I have always wanted to experience
beach life and now I get to. I have lived near the mountains all
my life (except in my early years in Alabama) and it's time to
move forward to the next chapter of our lives. Especially after
the ceremony. We still can't believe we did it. Though it's not
legally binding, it may as well be. A commitment before a
loving and accepting God is serious to us.
Oh - interesting story. The J.W.'s point blank asked me if I
believed in a paradise Earth. I told them that I don't know
either way. How could I? I can't rely on logic for such
matters. I don't believe in Heaven, and I believe our soul dies
with us (differentiated from our spirit, which I believe is pure
energy and may take on a different form), but that I wasn't
sure. I dismiss nothing outright. They keep saying how they
talk about me to each other and what a great understanding I
have of the Bible, and how inquisitive I am. They would love
nothing more than for me to convert. It's not happening. I am
going to see them two more times. Believe it or not, I will miss
them as well. They are wonderful people, especially Ken, he is
so kind-hearted and less condescending in his answers to my
questions, but Carol is very nice as well. I love his voice and
the way he enunciates. I didn't think I would become attached
to anyone here. When we left VA, I didn't even say goodbye
to my good friends. I needed to get out of there quickly and I
just did, despite my long-term roots. Long story. Asheville is a
neat town and I will miss the liberal attitude here. I have
always felt accepted. In S.C. we will have to be very careful.
Enough for now. I will keep you posted on the move!
**************************************************
June 13, 2010
I've added my skydiving page with pics and video. What an
experience!
**************************************************
June 8, 2010
I've posted my latest edition of the CJH Abstract Art
newsletter. I will be posting pics, etc. of the ceremony soon, I
just need to get the digital tape transferred to DVD.
This Friday is skydiving!
**************************************************
June 6, 2010
Yesterday was awesome. I couldn't have asked for a better
ceremony. I will be posting pics, video, and our "program" and
the sermon that our pastor gave. It was beautiful. The only
things that went wrong were that I had planned a trolley tour
for my out of town guests and the damn trolley was early (so
were we). So, my meticulous planning didn't work out. I had
to get a refund. I had the schedule all figured out. We ended
up just going straight to dinner and then going on a ghost
tour. I had raw oysters at dinner and they didn't sit well with
me. I was nauseous all night after that, with some brief
respite when I was having too much fun to focus on it. All that
stuff was no big deal. We all had a great time and that is what
is important.
**************************************************
June 4, 2010
Tomorrow's the big day! Eeek! :) Today my good friend Amy
is coming in from Charlotte and we are all going to get manis
and pedis, run some errands, and probably see a movie at our
favorite theater (it's like being in someone's home - leather
couches with tables to put your feet up on - very cool).
Tomorrow a.m. D gets her hair done, then we have a couple of
hours until the ceremony. Yesterday we got our eyebrows
done and the day before haircuts. D got some color. In the
light it has cool velvet highlights along with some warm colors.
We never realized how dark her hair is.
Tomorrow after the ceremony, a small group of us will be
going on a trolley tour (a cheesey and easy way to show them
the town), out to dinner to get lobster (my favorite food) and
then go on a ghost tour. A long day but should be fun. This
morning we have to get this place in shape for Amy. We have
mentally vacated and physically neglected this place since we
decided to go to MB, half-packed and such, so it is a little
crowded and messy. Thanks to crappy landlords, they still
haven't leveled or seeded the front lawn that they dug up, nor
have they removed the tree ruined by the snowstorm. What a
dump! Thank God we are getting out of here.
After the ceremony, then comes the packing. I have spaced
things out over 2.5 weeks so it isn't stressful. I had a
meltdown last time because I didn't do a lot of packing and we
were trying to do it when the movers (our handy guys) were
moving stuff. It was from the mountains to in town so we had
the luxury of a couple of trips. This time it's all got to be ready
and fit. I got the largest truck available. The current couch
will be put in my studio for when I want to chill or look over art
books for inspiration. I have already envisioned how I want to
place things. I am really excited. I already got some awesome
running shoes and can't wait to get back to that again.
Gushing and hoping you have a great weekend. I will keep you
updated.
**************************************************
May 28, 2010
We found a perfect place in Longs, SC, that is 15 minutes from
the beach (we didn't want to live too near the beach due to
"party-ers" and older homes), away from traffic, and 20
minutes from D's parents' house. The community has a pool
and a golf course. There are older people across the street, so
it seems safe and it is quiet. We ordered new furniture and
are thrilled. I will have a two-car garage again and plenty of
room to paint. Watching the sun rise over the beach...it still
hasn't sunk in yet. Instead of living in older houses, this one is
9 years old and is owned by a couple who used to live there.
They wanted a larger house. Only one tenant since then, a
cop's family, and the place is clean. It has a Carolina room,
which will be great to read in. It is complete with a large
jacuzzi tub and the largest walk-in closet I have ever seen.
Not to mention storage in the attic. I plan for my office to be
sparse. The only down side is that there is thin wallpaper at
the top of each room. Since my office color scheme is black
and white, I will get white trim to tack up over the wallpaper.
Now all that's left is to buy a new t.v. Anyway, nothing special
to a lot of you out there, but great for us.
The ceremony is one week and one day away and we are
really excited and looking forward to wearing the custom-
designed rings. They are very unique. I will have to post a
picture of it.
I added a new poem. (At the end of the page, as usual.)
I hope you all have a great weekend. Tomorrow we start
packing the garage. That will be the most daunting task as
we, or should I say I, have a LOT of art stuff. And I haven't
even ordered my new paints yet. 60 colors! I hope it doesn't
take too long to get back into the swing of things.
**************************************************
May 23, 2010
I've added a discussion to the "On My Mind" section.
We're heading to Myrtle Beach tomorrow to look for a place to
live. Wish us luck!
**************************************************
May 14, 2010
I went on a hike to Catawba Falls with my friend Floyd
yesterday. Of all of the hikes I have been on, this one was the
easiest with the greatest corresponding payoff. You can see a
video here (Part I) and here (Part II) (I had to split it up to fit
within You Tube's length specifications). You can see pics
here.
I added one barn to the buildings page.
Guess who came to my door yesterday? None other than my J.
W. friends whom I was studying the Bible with. I had made it
clear that there were certain things I didn't agree with and
wouldn't change my mind about, but they didn't seem to care.
They missed me. Honestly, I missed them too. I enjoyed
studying the Bible with them, because I rarely read it on my
own. So, I am going back to their house next Tuesday. It's
not going to change the fact that I am a Christian, and I will
continue going to my church and Sunday school every week as
I have been doing.
I have my mind set on skydiving again, which WILL happen,
most likely this summer. D is concerned. I called the facility in
TN where I want to do the jump, and asked if they have had
any fatalities. They said they had not at their facility, but gave
me a web site to check out where participating facilities report
fatalities. Of 2.5 million jumps in 2009, there were 16
fatalities. They didn't list the reason for the fatalities, but I'd
be willing to bet that they weren't tandem jumps. He
encouraged me to visit the facility to get acquainted with the
jump zone and address any concerns I may have. Nah, I just
want to go for it. I will be scared, but I am sure I will be
exhilarated at the same time.
**************************************************
May 8, 2010
I've posted my latest abstracts newsletter, featuring Dana
Schutz and Chandra Rasily from India.
**************************************************
May 7, 2010
I went on another 5-hour hike in the Blue Ridge mountains
with my usual weekday daytime hiking friends. Apparently,
according to some people we met on the trail, the Obamas
hiked the trail we were on - for 30 minutes. Wimps! Must
have been for show. And the trail they picked didn't lead to
waterfalls or a summit. They could have made a better
choice. Well, perhaps this one isn't as well traveled and that's
why they chose it. The pics from the hike are here.
**************************************************
May 1, 2010
Today is another Saturday, so I am going to see Jonas paint, I
think. Either that, or go to flea markets with a friend of mine.
I have posted a couple of new poems (end of page).
I have also added a second topic to my "On My Mind" page
(see navigation bar at left).
I hope you have a great weekend!
**************************************************
April 26, 2010
I have to share the work of a friend on deviantART. His art is
so colorful, so happy, so wonderful. He goes by "remnance of
plen". Click here to go to his deviantART account. I really
encourage you to check it out.
**************************************************
April 25, 2010
I've added the first installment of "On My Mind". See
navigation bar at left.
I've added some pictures from my hike at Chimney Rock
(amazing views) with my friend Lee.
I've added a couple of new structures to my Old Buildings, etc.
page.
Today we are going to walk around Asheville and take in the
sights, galleries and museums.
**************************************************
April 24, 2010
What you should know, but don't want to know...D's blog. She
is a genius when it comes to this stuff. It's scary to think about.
So, I have insomnia but I should be o.k. for our hikes today.
The Obamas are here in Asheville dominating the scene. I
think I picked some things far enough out of town that we
won't be thwarted by them. I will post pics.
**************************************************
April 21, 2010
We found our song for the ceremony, "All That Is" by Garnet
Rogers. Actually, our musician (Moss) came up with it and
played it for us and we loved it. It was apparently a big hit in
Canada but never quite caught on here. We actually like the
way Moss does it better. Here are the lyrics:
Who can tell when in love you'll finally fall?
Some live in vain and never love at all
But as lightning strikes or as a small insistent voice
Of we are blessed we will hear and heed the call
Give your love and never count the cost
Lose your heart and never call it lost
May your love be your shelter to the ending of your days
Love is all that is, all that ever was
May your love grow strong and always kind
May your hearts grow forever more entwined
In the brightest day or the stillness of the night
May it be each others hand you seek and find
Never more to be alone
Ever closer you have grown
Forever now may no distance come between
And in each other's loving hearts you find a home
We plan to desensitize ourselves to it so we don't cry at the
ceremony!
**************************************************
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Delores is silly.
Pier 2 at Myrtle
Beach.
Pier 2 at Myrtle
Beach.
Art, photography,
poetry, etc.
poetry, etc.
