New Blog Name

Guess what? I have discovered that I can change the title of this blog.

When I first began this blog it was a struggle for me to name it. I ended up choosing a title that has begun to feel very limiting for it only addresses my interest in storytelling and not the visual arts, which I am equally passionate about. To remedy this I started "ArtCycle!" to showcase my artsy-craftsy stuff made from recycled materials. It's a lot of work to manage two blogs. I'd rather combine the two.

So, now I'm going to rename this site. Go to ArtCycle.blogspot.com to learn the new name of this site. I will be changing it today.

Leonidas De Gatto

Our new kitty. He found us and we are happy he did. What a most fine and handsome cat he is.

Tejas Storytelling Association Fundraiser

A few photos of the Martha Len rundraising event in Denton, TX.

I brought one of my scarves for the silent auction, and by golly, it

sold for $45.00. Not bad!

DMA First Tuesday Programs

Every month on the first Tuesday, the DMA has programs for pre-k children. In January the theme was "Birds" and I told stories on the third floor in the Asian Art section. Here I am doing a drawing tale. We toured the area where the Japanese vases were to see how may of them depicted birds. We counted 28. We may of missed a few, some of the birds were really tiny.

American Artist - Andrew Wyeth

Lately I have been fascinated with the work of American artist, Andrew Wyeth. So much so, that I am currently reading two books about him. The picture above is titled, "Master Bedroom". I loved it when I first saw it over 10 years ago. Even purchased a copy of it and hug it over Jeff's and my bed. Why? Because our dog Hildie took her naps on our bed just like the dog in the painting. I also had an identical bedspread. It captured Hildie's yearning need to not be separated from us.

This painting reminds me of warm summer days at my Grandma Lillian's farmhouse in northern Minnesota. I would sleep in the "yellow" bedroom with the window open to let in the cool night air, and in the morning the cool breeze would flutter gently into the room lifting up the worn lace curtains. Oh, how I loved waking up that way. There was something sad about it though...perhaps it was the tired lace curtains, so long past their prime. They represented the past, not the present and that time moves relentlessly forward no matter how much we want to wish that some things (or people) never change.

There is something spooky, no make that eerie, about this painting. Notice the reflection of the candles in the window panes. The painting has a supernatural, dreamy quality that stirs my memories of nightmares not entirely forgotten. It captures for me the queasy, disquieting way that a bad dream can linger and dog one's memory during times of wakefulness. Something powerful, just out of eyesight has moved through that room...what could it have been? It was nothing good I can safely say.

Latest scarves...

Before leaving for Pete's Dueling Piano's Lily took some pictures of me with my latest scarf creations.

I am posing in front of my bookcases. I have a full wall of them filled with books about storytelling, folktales & visual art, and then there are storytelling props and intruments used for sound effects. I have over 36 puppets too. It is big fun to buy books and toys for work.

Pete's Dueling Piano's

Jeff and I had a riot of a good time last Saturday night. We went to Pete's Dueling Piano's in Addison with a large group of friends. We sang songs, danced by our chairs and laughed at the antics of the talented pianists. We had great seats right by the stage. Music was from the 50's on up to the present. Something for every age group in the room.

Twas good times for us all.