tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98645272012-02-18T02:23:14.712-08:00Rocky - meaning unstable. Point - meaning a particular stage in development. Or, Rocky Point - a favorite destination along the Big Sur coastline. At this point in my life things are a bit rocky. But, most of life's lessons come from a Rocky Point.Gail Pnoreply@blogger.comBlogger831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-62412974473373233322008-03-29T11:53:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:34.564-08:00

Flowers make me happy! The orchid was purchased at my favorite store, Trader Joe's, because it doesn't cause my allergies to go on high alert. The tuber rose, below, brought back from Hawaii from my friend, however gives me a headache! I love them and rather than just tossing them into the trash I photographed them for posterity. How often has anyone brought me back flowers from Hawaii? Never!I

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-90553119868141868452008-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:34.700-08:00

While photographing some dying palm trees last week I looked down and saw this rather odd shadow. Love the hat! I'm working on a portfolio of palm trees, after all I do live in the land-of-palm-trees. Isn't it a good thing that shadows aren't actually the same size we are?!?!I'm beginning to think that I should have named this blog MIA. Every morning my first thoughts are about what I'll blog

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-60962259668195338882007-12-11T12:21:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:34.860-08:00

doesn't look like a desert! Now that winter seems to have arrived the sun's relentless brutality is just a painful memory. No Parking signs made it nearly impossible to get these shots last week. I love the silhouettes of the palm trees against the sky. The bottom left photo, not a very good one from a moving car!, is of the entrance to the million dollar homes right next door to the complex I

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-87504574023691201972007-12-03T21:18:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:35.180-08:00

Do I have enough potted plants? The plant at the edge on the left is a tomato tree. Not really, but I've never had such a large tomato plant before. And yes, there are about a dozen green tomatoes on it. It's too hot during the summer to grow tomatoes and now I'm wondering how this plant is going to survive; the nights are getting down into the 40's. A woman at the nursery said she grows

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-38582240713286597252007-12-02T20:30:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:35.376-08:00

I don't know why I forget about this blog! This is where the non-art drivel should go. I'm listening to the Three Tenors Christmas on PBS. What voices! I almost believe that the Christmas is just around the corner.My daughter, Corey and her guys were in Australia for Thanksgiving. Brad's cousin was married in Brisbane on the 17th. Corey looks so natural holding the koala bear; took me a moment

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-63364270023160246622007-09-18T11:01:00.001-07:002008-12-11T00:53:35.660-08:00

Well the old gal doesn't look too bad! I was going to do a collage over this self-portrait but my friend told me to "stop hiding behind masks." So, I'll alter the image another time. . .

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-20911263835449003652007-09-16T18:53:00.001-07:002008-12-11T00:53:35.821-08:00

Sometimes a little tweaking is necessary in order to achieve a particular "feeling" that a camera can't capture. Such was the case with this gorgeous Italian pot. This was one of those nearly impossible spots to photograph. The area is narrow with a sliding door on the left side and the edge of house on the right. The plant is a guava that we're told can grow as a bush in a pot. Until this plant

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-12946470396130498372007-09-15T20:20:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:35.992-08:00

My birthday is on the 18Th and will be quietly celebrated. My friend won't be here; he's attending a prior engagement. Mom hasn't driven in a year and reminds me a few times a week that she hasn't. Alzheimer's! This morning she said, "I don't have anyway to get out and buy you something, not that I'd know what to get you anyway." My daughter, Corey, sent me a package via UPS so she and her

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-90566812541554812732007-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:36.230-08:00

Just when we thought we had enough garden art we stumbled (109 degrees and humid) into Rustic Pots and found 7 pots waiting for us! Yikes! These two are now situated in the backyard and look like they've always been there. We have been searching for a pot or two to place directly inside of the front gate and we now have them along with two matching pots on either side of the front door with

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-932642730504132392007-09-04T17:11:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:36.399-08:00

I absolutely cannot believe the growth of some of the plants; sadly many have succumbed to the intense heat and met an untimely demise! We're already making plans to replant and/or try different plants. Tomato seeds have been ordered because oddly enough Fall seems to be a good time to plant fast growing ones.There is a bougainvillea on one wall that we've pruned about 3 times now. The vine

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-59676803050498835942007-05-28T22:35:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:36.902-08:00

How can such an ordinary cactus sprout such a stupendous flower?! Sadly, the bloom only lasts one day. I used to have more than one specimen of this plant, but alas I was only able to bring one with me. At least it's flourishing as is the barrel cactus that I've had for over 25 years!The plants in the backyard are wilting from the oppressive heat. Do I sound like I don't the heat? There is a

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-12480319744562268182007-04-28T19:30:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:37.203-08:00

Next Wednesday we'll have been here 7 months and we finally have the gate that mom has wanted since day one! I hope she feels safe now. The sun motif works well with the entrance. I woke up this morning to the sounds of the gate being installed. The day in between the gate installation and the sunset was a mere 103 degrees! The photo of the sunset was taken from our front yard. I used to be able

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-5377730001065459492007-04-25T16:02:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:37.317-08:00

The palette for this work-in-progress collage consists of titan buff, dark brown, beige, and black. The paper is Viva paper towels. Cheap acrylic paint. Well the mystery of the possessed fan has been solved! It required an exorcism! Who knew that a remote control needed to be re-programmed?! It hit 98 today! Yikes! I purchased an outdoor ceiling fan for the patio. One more thing for my SIL to do

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-84403475668207163762007-04-24T14:54:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:37.660-08:00

Camera lenses can pick up things that I can't discern until I look at the final image; which never fails to amaze me. For instance on the top right side of the succulent two chicks are now growing out of the main plant. A nice bonus! And even though the Kangaroo Paw blossom is nearly devoid of color after a week of sitting on my desk, the digital film still thought that the red existed as it had

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-49831175305596561072007-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:37.922-08:00

Having Alzheimer's must seem like disappearing into the mist. This week has been fraught with episodes so numerous and different from past ones that I feel as I'm spinning out of control! I can't keep up with where mom's brain is taking her and when I'm fatigued it's even more difficult to figure out what is happening or what she wants. Her list of complaints and needs grows daily and if I

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-31011577752496437672007-04-17T14:20:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:38.084-08:00

I posted a black-and-white version of the Kangaroo Paw yesterday on my other blog. I aimed my camera at the blossom again today; as the bloom loses more of its life I can't help but think about all of the loses that attack us daily. The loss of lives struck down by a deranged soul in VA who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech before killing himself. Why!?? The loss of the view of mountains in my

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-90450015155461101732007-04-10T16:43:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:38.228-08:00

Having lived with a yard devoid of any plant life for six months I've come to realize how important shadows are to me! The first shadows to appear in the yard belonged to those of the two trees and now that there are vines planted against the brick walls and flowers in the mounded bedding area there are shadows everywhere! Shadows weren't evident most days on the foggy Monterey Peninsula, but

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-25471068427821902972007-04-07T19:34:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:38.447-08:00

I'm on a quest for for daily gifts and this one came at the end of the day! Balmy evening with a silky breeze and a sky on fire!Seeds of discouragement will not grow in the thankful heart.Anonymous

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-33849147945222911842007-04-03T11:13:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:38.779-08:00

Rather than drag in 200 or more bags of soil we opted to have compost/planting mix delivered! After all we were planning to mound areas behind the brick retaining wall! When the soil was dumped into the drive-way I wanted to shout STOP! I thought that half of the load was enough and it probably would have been. I don't own a wheelbarrow, well I didn't, so off to Home Depot to find one that would

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-46948774219196170732007-04-02T17:02:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:39.078-08:00

Celebrating our 6 month anniversary with a newly planted backyard!!!When the flagstone, fill dirt, gravel and adobe soil cover were delivered on March 23rd excitement was in the air about the possibility of seeing something in the backyard besides dirt!! The stack of flagstone on the top left became the floor for the arbor and path down the side of the house. The poor fountain, top right, looked

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-72381524678501969712007-03-18T19:48:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:39.230-08:00

Digital manipulation . . . There are times when a sunset can remind me how great it is to be alive! Mom announced at dinner that "we have to go for a walk tonight. We haven't walked in age." We've missed two nights due to extreme heat! A gentle breeze made tonight's walk tolerable. I did a little bin-diving on the way home for some scrap wood. More new houses are being framed in just around the

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-88064833601599245202007-03-13T14:30:00.000-07:002008-12-11T00:53:39.401-08:00

Today seems to be a day full of questions like, "What is that? And where did it come from?" and, "I can't find anything." I had planned to take Stacy and mom to the lab for their blood tests but from the second I saw mom wobbling into the kitchen this morning looking blank and confused I knew that it wasn't a good day to take her anywhere.Innocently I asked, "Did you see the blooms on the

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-8257204500149100012007-03-06T20:58:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:39.744-08:00

Photo on the left: the entrance to mom's casita is on the right and the windows on the left are Stacy's bedroom. There was a cement slab and nothing but dirt when we moved in. Seven car trunk fulls of brick later mom now has a private sitting area. Two privets are planted in front of the AC unit and hopefully there will soon be a climbing rose on the brick wall.On Sunday I finished the brick work

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-43580697211215928312007-02-27T00:56:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:39.979-08:00

I woke to the sounds of tools being plunked down in the backyard. I had hoped last Thursday when the pieces were delivered that today, Monday, would be the day the pergola was constructed; it's fabulous when things work out. The roof has already made a huge difference in my bedroom/studio in that the lighting is softer and the room is cooler now that the sun doesn't beat against the picture

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-12931584773395714912007-02-24T13:31:00.000-08:002008-12-11T00:53:40.104-08:00

What an amazing cloud formation! It was if Mother Nature was blowing the clouds across the sky! I cropped the roof tops out of the photo but left a smidgen of the mountains visible. The problem with photographing from my backyard is that the roofs of the houses are in evidence, something I can do without.It's been nearly a year since I posted on this blog! I have tried to keep from blathering on

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1142363876151082332006-03-14T11:17:00.000-08:002006-03-14T16:44:12.660-08:00

4 Luck! Happy St. Patrick's Day!The background on this ATC has more layers than I usually paint. I wanted texture amongst the shades of green and I think I achieved that! The clover is aluminum painted green and punched out. The "4" is my favorite-rubber-stamp-of-moment number set! Can't remember where I purchased it; online somewhere.Finally, something good happened! After numerous phone calls

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1141497839708556002006-03-04T10:43:00.000-08:002006-03-04T10:51:34.023-08:00

1953 - Carmel Beach. Happy 88th Dad! Were we ever that young?March is always a difficult month, or at least it has been for the last 6 years! Dad passed on the 22nd in 2000, Stacy nearly died a few years ago in March, I nearly waited too long for gallbladder surgery and 2 years ago my daughter lost a baby in her 8th month. Other things have happened in March but at least my daughter gave birth to

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1140987961362415052006-02-26T12:22:00.000-08:002006-02-26T13:06:01.380-08:00

My fingers were hovering over the keyboard while I was struggling with a title for this entry and then one word came to mind, "upsets." Turning to my trusty dictionary I discovered that "upsets" is the perfect word to use. Meaning: to disturb mentally or emotionally, distress: a nervous, irritable state of mind.The last seven days have been packed full of upsetting things so much so that I'm

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1139710593029994432006-02-11T18:16:00.000-08:002006-03-04T11:03:05.206-08:00

Plum tree - first blooms. The plum tree in the front yard never lets me down! It blooms beutifully every year and this year is no exception! The pink blossoms remind me that Spring is just around the corner.A photographer once told me that he liked to always have something cut off a corner at either the right or left side. It was his way of saying phooey to the "composition police." So in honor

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1139524150745180372006-02-09T14:29:00.000-08:002006-02-09T14:32:41.583-08:00

Matthew 8 days old. Big brother Jack is 4.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1139523120095544152006-02-09T14:12:00.000-08:002006-02-09T14:19:42.046-08:00

Jack, on the left, was born Jan. 3, 2002 weighing in at 5lbs. 8 oz.Matthew, on the right, was born Jan. 27, 2006 weighing in at 8lbs. 1 oz. What a difference a few pounds makes!

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1139522275056871182006-02-09T13:40:00.000-08:002006-02-09T13:57:55.080-08:00

While I was helping out after the birth of Matthew I got word that another patient at the dialysis clinic had died. Not unexpected, but never-the-less a difficult one to hear about! Chaylce was only 49 on Jan. 28th when she let go of her life. Sandra, our house-helper, told me yesterday that many church members had donated funds to Chaylce's daughters school fund.I arrived back home on Tuesday

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1138431440589352442006-01-27T22:49:00.000-08:002006-01-27T22:57:20.616-08:00

Matthew Owen arrived today before I was able to make my planned trip and his mother's scheduled c-section for next Wed! Huge sighs of relief were heard throughout our family as we welcome this new baby into the world! After the loss two years ago none of us were calm during what seemed like a very long pregnancy! Thank you!

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1138227092341444962006-01-25T14:05:00.000-08:002006-01-25T14:11:32.356-08:00

Last night I woke up and had a "knowing flash" so sent prayers to Jean that her passing would be an easy one. Today Mom called from the dialysis clinic to say that Jean had passed yesterday afternoon, 8 days after stopping treatment! She was at home with her family just like she wanted.Stacy has been having a lot of melt-downs since last Thursday when she felt so crummy that she thought she was

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1137879946556049742006-01-21T13:44:00.000-08:002006-01-21T13:45:46.570-08:00

We heard yesterday that Jean entered hospice in the morning . . .

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1137634256007558212006-01-18T17:30:00.000-08:002006-02-09T13:59:12.180-08:00

Salinas Valley - from a moving car.I will forever think of the Salinas Valley when I think about Jean who has shared the same dialysis days, MWF, as Stacy has for the last 5 years. Jean made a decision last week to stop treatment because she's too ill and has been going downhill fast for the last few months. Jean wanted one more Christmas with her family and to be able to say goodbye to friends

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1136924167107928152006-01-10T11:14:00.000-08:002006-01-10T16:41:52.730-08:00

Courtesy - such a simple word and yet most people find it very difficult to extend such a considerate thing!! Is it too much to ask when one is kept waiting to be informed of the reason why? I don't think so.Yesterday's saga could have been made easier with a simple explanation. "The dialysis machines ran into a trouble with the mixture of acid and water and many of them shut down. And because of

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1136435154070149652006-01-04T20:25:00.000-08:002006-01-10T21:58:07.146-08:00

Tree of Life - rather than hauling out the decorations I chose to create a simple symbol of Christmas. Twigs were cut from the dormant tree in the front yard and wrapped with clear lights. I like it so much that it's now become a permanent fixture in a some-what dark corner in the living room.It's been quite awhile since I've posted a new entry here. The season between Thanksgiving and Christmas

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1131751276523421282005-11-11T15:21:00.000-08:002005-11-11T15:26:32.506-08:00

Happy Birthday! Corey, on the left, is 35 today and Stacy was 38 on the first of the month! They're about 2 and 5 in this photo. Who knew that they'd grow up to be such amazing strong women?!

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1131751011585086002005-11-10T15:15:00.000-08:002006-01-04T21:58:59.080-08:00

"Creativity is medicine. The more we use it, the more steadily and readily and easily we use it. The more we ground it and regularly access it, the better off we are. The 'healthier' we are."Julia Cameron - "Walking in This World"

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1131750739813773342005-11-09T14:36:00.000-08:002005-11-11T15:48:01.466-08:00

The reason for the hiatus on this blog is twofold. To my delight and surprise I was invited by my youngest daughter and her husband to go to Cape Cod for 4 days in Sept. Not only was Cape Cod somewhere I had always envisioned seeing, but the opportunity of spending time with three of my favorite people was too good to pass up. Jack is at that great age, 3 and a half, when it doesn't take much to

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1123371823308441842005-08-06T16:42:00.000-07:002005-08-06T16:45:43.880-07:00

Middle age is when you stillbelive you'll feel better in themorning.Bob Hope

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1123197902716548212005-08-04T16:24:00.000-07:002005-08-13T15:57:33.403-07:00

A favorite quote:"I have been through some terrible things in my life-some of which actually happened. "Mark TwainA visitor to this blog commented that I sound like I'm always whinning or worried about something and that she wouldn't be returning because she didn't want to read anything that was so depressing. I chewed on that for awhile and nearly deleted most, it not, all of the entries and

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1121979214461893842005-07-21T13:53:00.000-07:002005-07-21T14:04:08.583-07:00

I should make a sign that says, "Question Everything" because it wasn't until yesterday driving home from the dialysis clinic that I realized why I feel so rotten!! I'm once again anemic! I've had chronic anemia for the last 30 some years so you'd think that I'd know the signs, but I imagine that the stress over the last few months led me to believe I was just exhausted and having an FM flare-up

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1121031395279545012005-07-10T13:53:00.000-07:002005-07-10T14:37:48.603-07:00

Stacy and I were so optimistic last weekend when she felt better than she had in months, but things started crashing on July 4th when she had a small seizure. She's had three more since then along with a migraine and the nausea/vomiting that goes along with it. Her health issues along with not being to finish any of my numerous projects has proved to once again put me into the overwhelmed mode

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1120334607872810732005-07-02T13:03:00.000-07:002005-07-02T15:01:20.916-07:00

At first glance the manipulated photo appears to be interesting shapes, but upon further inspection two of the shapes become a cat and a nearly hidden face.MizRiley takes her job of protecting Stacy very seriously. This is their favorite way of taking a nap on the couch. There is a permanent sag on the back cushion where MizRiley has carved out a place for her plump self. One paw needs to be

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1120087369635881212005-06-29T16:12:00.000-07:002005-07-02T13:51:58.126-07:00

The wake-up call came at 7:10 this morning when the dialysis nurse burst into the room just ahead of the construction workers outside who like to start their day by shouting at each other at 7:20. Stacy had a rough night and mine wasn't much better. Cat naps seem to be the only kind of sleep I get and I wake up disoriented and anxious. The surgeon seems to have a "an opinion" of what he thinks

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1120086665432496242005-06-28T16:00:00.000-07:002005-06-29T16:12:10.136-07:00

It turns out that the month of May was a fluke when there wasn't one trip to the hospital! We're making up for it this month by having two! Last night (Monday) Stacy was struck down first by chills followed by a fever of 103 and an invitation to the meet the doctor at the hospital! I absolutely couldn't deal with the questions that the ER nurses and doctors were going to run us through and to my

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1119824638294005092005-06-26T15:23:00.001-07:002005-06-26T15:40:05.143-07:00

Stacy's migraines, seizures, fainting spells, high blood pressure, vomiting and dialysis plus my chronic pain and brain fog are not making life on the home-front easy to handle.Last Wednesday night I discovered her on the floor in the bathroom with blood on her hands and face. She had fallen off of the toilet and was tangled in her sweat pants and the bathroom towel she'd grabbed from the back

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1119748611564061842005-06-22T18:12:00.000-07:002005-06-25T18:47:18.306-07:00

A Credo For SupportDo Not see my disability as the problem, recognize that my disability is an attribute.Do Not see my disability as a deficit. It is you who see me as deviant and helpless.Do not try to fix me because I am not broken.Support me. I can make my contribution to the community in my own way.Be a person who listens and does not take my struggle away from me by trying to make it all

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1119323597874988882005-06-15T20:13:00.000-07:002005-06-20T20:48:36.083-07:00

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference. -- Virginia SatirIt's not often that I'm able to live my life from a surreal distance - something akin to watching it on a movie screen - but last weeks 3-night hospitalization proved to be just that. Surreal.Dialysis seemed to go okay but practically immediately when Stacy arrived

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1117942519832447352005-06-04T20:35:00.000-07:002005-06-05T15:37:46.196-07:00

Place des Vosges , 1997 - a favorite photo that was manipulated to create how I felt about scene I watched while sitting on a bench. Impressionistic.I was very happy when the phone rang at 10pm last night and my youngest daughter said, "we're home." I don't like it when they're out of the country. It's more comforting to now that they are only seven hours away. They had a great time at the resort

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1117916289810673502005-06-03T13:18:00.000-07:002005-06-04T14:13:02.216-07:00

I wish I could get out from under the brain fog and flu-like symptoms that have taken up residence! I feel awful! I'm positive that the stress of the last few months has caused this latest flare-up of the immune dysfunction junk that I've dealt with my entire life, but that doesn't alleviate the problem! There are so many things that I want to do but the focus for the past two weeks has been on

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1117913284598095082005-06-02T12:28:00.000-07:002005-06-04T12:46:58.636-07:00

Paris - 1997 is my attempt at making an antique looking postcard. This was the view outside of our hotel room on my first trip to Paris. I loved waking up during the night to see the Eiffel Tower lit up it in all its splendor. The one thing I didn't like seeing in the daylight, however, were antennaes and satellite dishes on the rooftops! Back in '97 I had no idea that in a few years I would

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1116810576162635122005-05-22T18:09:00.000-07:002005-05-26T17:48:39.406-07:00

I think that I need to memorize the following quote:"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." Ralph Waldo EmersonEvery morning I wake up

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1116359028111610782005-05-17T12:43:00.000-07:002005-05-17T12:59:11.346-07:00

Maloney's before the fire that destroyed the abandoned Moss Landing restaurant. The fire, assumed to be arson, be arson, happened yesterday afternoon. It's now too late to return to the site for another photography session. I have a fondness for decrepit buildings with their textures and patinas that make my heart sing.I'm not a fan of structures formed from glass or steel. Give me a rusty relic

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1116363835486411542005-05-16T14:03:00.000-07:002005-06-05T15:42:17.613-07:00

Tribute to Celeste - "To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer." GhandiDialysis treatment on Monday, April 18 was fraught with anxiety. Stacy's BP was high and she vomited during treatment, which she never does. (She has been on dialysis since November of 2000. Three treatments a week consisting of 3 hours each. She was diagnosed with

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1116360257337044832005-05-15T13:04:00.000-07:002005-05-17T13:56:52.286-07:00

Thankfully it's May! As if the 5 nights we spent in the hospital in March weren't awful enough we had to top that crises with another one in April. Seven long nights and days. I can't seem to move forward until I get rid of some of the experiences we went through. It's like I'm frozen in that time warp. The 12 nights are blended together in my mind without the separation of 3 weeks between the

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1112764686125360332005-04-01T22:18:00.000-08:002005-06-05T15:45:26.776-07:00

Big Sur never seems to change, which is a good thing when one needs something familar and comforting!Today was exceptionally beautiful, so much so that the tourist congested highway south of Carmel seemed more like summer thanApril 1.Sometimes Heaven is a slice of decadent chocolate cake, especially when savored outdoors next to a bubbling fountain.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1110850052862951632005-03-14T17:27:00.000-08:002005-03-14T17:27:32.863-08:00

Pig Crossing. A sign to warn drivers about the wild boars that insist on crossing the highway.Posted by Hello

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1112765839188881182005-03-12T22:37:00.000-08:002005-04-05T22:54:35.743-07:00

When Nature Directs Itself!I've tried numerous times to photograph this tree but the lighting was never as perfect as it was today!Carmel Bay with the lagoon in the background the day before the sandbar was opened to allow the river to flow into the bay.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1110654349584219102005-03-11T11:03:00.000-08:002005-03-12T19:30:58.923-08:00

Normally I 'm not fond of surprises but when the phone rang at 9am on Monday and the voice of my ex-husband, Larry, said, "This is your 30 minute warning before I arrive at your door," I decided to treat it as a good thing rather than something akin to dread. It did turn out to be not only a good thing but a mini-vacation as well. He sat with Stacy at the dialysis clinic during her 3 hour

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1110153965624670712005-03-06T16:06:00.000-08:002005-03-06T16:06:05.623-08:00

The Money Tree.Posted by Hello

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1110653500183485792005-03-06T10:43:00.000-08:002005-03-12T10:53:46.296-08:00

Mysteries of computers and blogs! Arrgghhh!It seems that the blog has a mind of its own because I can't go in and add text under photos! Hopefully this is a temporary thing.The photograph of my Dad is manipulated a bit and the Money Tree ATC, above, is one I made for a swap using rubber stamps and oil pastels and text words from a label maker.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1110055244209249892005-03-05T12:40:00.000-08:002005-03-05T12:40:44.210-08:00

March 4, 1918 - March 22, 2000Posted by Hello

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1109640868250345762005-02-28T17:34:00.000-08:002005-03-01T11:54:04.043-08:00

Bouquet of Shamrocks for Good Luck!I'm in absolute shock! I turned my back for a few minutes and the month is over! Tomorrow is the first day of the month that I fear, the month that marks losses and stressful times . Five years ago my father died and since that time I've had gallbladder surgery where it was discovered that the darn thing was so diseased it was a miracle I was alive; Stacy had

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1109641026124502652005-02-18T17:37:00.000-08:002005-03-03T12:30:09.650-08:00

Figurative Series - Digital Play #2The month sure isn't going very well. I've been ill since late Monday night, probably a flare-up of the immune dysfunction stuff that pays me a daily visit, but at this major level it stiffles creativity and that I have a difficult time dealing with.I was able to have another outing with my brother and sister-in-law on Monday before they left for home in

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1109641235642688632005-02-10T17:40:00.000-08:002005-02-28T19:03:58.350-08:00

All twisted up!That's me, all twisted up! The day started out like any other day might, just okay. But once I heard Mom's voice on the phone my stomach twisted up into knots! Thanks heavens for Cell phones and a brother on the other end who I could send over to collect Mom and take to the ER.I was in the middle of finally have a guy from The Dish install a new cable (to hopefully take care of a

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1108325762533123792005-02-09T12:16:00.000-08:002005-02-21T20:08:37.046-08:00

The Tuck Box restaurant in Carmel is about as quaint as you can get! It's rare that a car isn't parked in front of it blocking it from view and I would have missed the shot if I hadn't had my trusty camera in my hand! It wasn't long before a car dove into the spot.You'd think that Carmel is hundreds of miles away rather than right over the hill from where I live, because it's been a couple of

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1107653934230718332005-02-05T17:38:00.000-08:002005-02-05T22:11:11.383-08:00

Following a phone call from my daughter about yet another loss I grabbed the camera and between gusts of wind captured a sentimental shot. The delicate pink buds bursting into plum colored leaves made me weep. Even on a grey day full of sadness the world carries on and there is something beautiful to be found. On another note: No wonder I felt wary 4 days ago, the road continues to be

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1107651787669042762005-02-04T17:03:00.000-08:002005-02-07T18:25:13.393-08:00

Proof that there is some sun without the nasty pine pollen somewhere in the world! It's very gloomy, grey and cold so you'd think that the pine pollen would take a break and not shower us with the green stuff! Lunch, in San Juan Bautista, was suggested so off we went for a feast of bratwurst, sauerkraut and fried pototoes, not the usual fare when visiting a town known for its Mexican food. We

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1107378281310080152005-02-02T13:04:00.000-08:002005-02-02T13:20:13.786-08:00

Rubber stamped words and watercolor on text from a physics book. This was a quick unplanned page for an Expedition Journal that hopefully will lighten the tone of the book. The work that I've done so far seems heavy and serious and could be a difficult-act-to-follow for the next artist working in the EJ. Much of my work is thought out and slowly executed when what I really want is to be able

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1107330173010834282005-02-01T23:42:00.000-08:002005-02-02T13:06:46.363-08:00

Mixed media - gesso, water-soluble pastels, and embellishments. The key strips, scanned crooked, seem to imply a sense of being unbalanced and guarded about the second month of the year. A new month, new possibilities but my spirits are already dashed by the pine pollen that is dusting us with a green film, creating more havoc on our health issues. Allergy migraines, congestion and itchy eyes

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1106613956834695192005-01-24T16:45:00.000-08:002005-03-03T12:28:56.796-08:00

Figurative Series - Silhouettes #1. Watercolors, pastels and metallic wax. I received 3 pots of Twinkling H2O's from a friend and started playing with two of the colors, sunflower and douglas fir.Shadows and silhouettes have always fascinated me. I would love to do a series based on shapes of the human form rather than exact depictions. I'd like to think that is the beginning of that series!After

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1106420728064436052005-01-20T11:05:00.000-08:002005-01-22T14:33:44.270-08:00

This manipulated photo, shot in Salinas on a busy street, reminds me of another era when cruising was a Friday night activity! Cruising - a word I contemplated Wednesday night while sitting in the ER for another fun-packed evening. Stacy had a 3 hour nosebleed and what is a mother to do but head for the ER and hand the problem over to someone else. Stacy informed the doctor that she

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1106427180613304172005-01-14T13:53:00.000-08:002005-06-05T15:47:05.686-07:00

A GTC - Glue-Trading-Card- created from 5 magazine clippings.Prussion Virtues: perfect organization, sacrifice, the rule of law. At the end of the 1st century the Prussion settlements were divided into tribal domains, separated from one another by uninhabitated areas of forest, swamps and marsh. In each tribe the leader was responsible for the supervision of everyday matters, while the chief was

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1106429386933292392005-01-12T13:29:00.000-08:002005-01-22T13:46:38.126-08:00

ID Recorded is a mixed media piece representing the state of our current world conditions. The phrases and stamps were on envelopes I received from France and Australia.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1105499034262587572005-01-08T19:03:00.000-08:002005-01-22T14:21:14.033-08:00

Headlines: The Central Coast is Blasted With Wind and Rain. What a shock to discover that there is a Palm tree in our neighborhood primarily known for its pine and oak trees! The majestic oak had covered up the fact that a palm tree has infiltrated the street. Fortunately, the oak tree was only a few feet from the house, so when the mighty wind uprooted it the tree merely leaned against the

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1105246688136459122005-01-07T20:58:00.000-08:002005-01-09T10:54:45.573-08:00

Page from my art journal, created with a little more abandon than my usual quiet sepia palette. The Queen of Hearts playing card is a door, hinged to the page with duct tape. Inside the door is a quote by Edith Lovejoy Pierce: "We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on these ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. "

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1105245961500111802005-01-06T20:46:00.000-08:002005-01-08T21:43:55.726-08:00

I feel that I have a lot in common with this close-up photo of a decaying oak tree! Perhaps we're becoming more interesting with age. On a recent walk through an oak grove in Carmel Valley I happened upon the kind of texture that excites me and is impossible to duplicate outside of nature. As is the case of this photo, sometimes film can capture what the eye doesn't see.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1105245255570229892005-01-03T20:34:00.000-08:002005-01-08T21:40:22.473-08:00

Art Journal page - The Door Closes on 2004.The stark greys and harsh black crackle finish on the altered playing card door symbolizes the toll 2004 took on me. Hidden behind the door is a list of the losses and health issues that confronted my family last year.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1104702481172310402005-01-02T13:48:00.000-08:002005-01-08T20:42:32.416-08:00

One of my favorite photos of my grandson! Jack turns 3 tomorrow. Artificial urgency has struck! I can't seem to get anything accomplished and it seems that everything is requiring my attention. I had hoped by now to have my storage room organized, with newly purchased iris storage containers, but the task has turned out to be a humpty-dumpty one and refuses to be put back together again.

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9864527.post-1104704707014509102005-01-01T14:25:00.000-08:002005-07-02T15:02:59.806-07:00

This is a spread I did for an AB that I included in a kit for a Christmas gift. Lately, I seem to be working with grids. On the right side of the page torn strips of duct tape were first placed over the text and then dry brushed with white gesso. To further accent the grid black gesso was painted around the tape. Rubber stamps and additional color was added. The left page is simply a wash of

Gail Pnoreply@blogger.com0