For over 20 years I have wanted to see "The Phantom of the Opera" at the theatre. And Sarah was just as anxious to see the play after seeing the movie and falling in love with the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. So, a couple of months ago, we purchased 3 tickets for an afternoon at the Belks Blumenthal Performing Arts Theatre in Charlotte, and Sarah, Matthew, and I spent several hours being completely mesmerized by the performance.
>> Keep ReadingAN UNPRECEDENTED PHENOMENON HAS OCCURRED ACROSS AMERICA!!!
Apparently thousands of 40-60
year olds have been admitted to hospitals from coast to coast in
Cardiac Arrest due to a night long dance tribute to Michael Jackson.
We've got a WINNER! Look at the bottom of this post for the lucky Reader!
Oh Man does this ever look delicious! Nothing makes my stomach growl with joy like getting a recipe from Beth in my inbox. I am definitely in the mood for this tonight for the family dinner. How about you? And, to celebrate this wonderful Italian dish, I've got a French surprise for you at the end.
I just finished reading the book "Hello, I Must Be Going" by Christie Hodgen, and as much as I enjoyed the book, I found it to be, at times, puzzling. The young narrator is Frankie Hawthorne, who is growing up in a lower-income family with a younger brother, Teddy who can be difficult at times, a mother, Gerry, who is a waitress at a Friendly's Restaurant and a chain smoker, and a father, Randall, who was a Vietnam Veteran and an amputee, who masks his depression through his comedy. The book is supposed to be set in the year 1980, but I sense it more to be set in the early 1970s as the family is suffering from a detached appreciation for Vietnam Vets as a result of a very unpopular war.
By President Barack Obama
(And a tribute to my own father at the end)
As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark this Father’s Day—our first in the White House—with a deep sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change after so many years out on the campaign trail and commuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.
"Rusting Away" 11x14 Oil on Canvas.
$320.00 (unframed)
I took a little more time on this little fella and I enjoyed working on the detail. I also mixed my own greens rather than use them right out of the tube. I mixed Ivory Black with Lemon Yellow in different variations to achieve the different green hues. I think in this painting, the dulled-out greens look more natural in this barn setting.
>> Keep ReadingI did not paint today. I did not do laundry today either (although I probably should have). I didn't take a nap either (and I usually do that!). Instead, I cleaned and organized my studio, cleaned my brushes, and looked through my reference material to prepare for my next painting.
After I finished, I thought I would give you a tour of my studio. It's nothing fancy. This would normally be the living room of our home, but we believe that each room should be useful. No "pretty" rooms in our house. We use them all, and fortunately, our home has the space we need for all of our activities.
I don't know what got into me this morning. I actually got up at 6:15 and decided to take a walk with Adolf. I rarely ever go for a walk, and I realize that I desperately need to change my ways. I am not getting enough exercise.
