I wanted something a bit Christmassy by the front door so took myself into town to a lovely shop and came home with fake but realistic looking greenery and three more iron reindeer. I am happy that now when someone comes over they can be greeted with a bit of holiday.
And really good news. Last night I was taken to an art gallery opening in a town about an hour away. It was wonderful to see such high quality art and craft. But the best part was seeing old friends and so many new ones from here in my new town. The first couple I saw was the ones who came to visit me during the hard times. Catharine brought madeleines, homemade sour dough bread, and a handwoven towel patterned after the surrender dish towel from the Civil War. Her husband Kent would draw animals on postcards to send to Lee so he had something with his name on it. So good to get hugs from them again. His cards and the many arriving daily from another local friend and those coming all the from Australia got us through some very hard and lonely times.
Others who came to the opening were some local business people from here and a new young artist that the gallery was representing, and is opening a local space here for artist in residence retreats in a building that was once a school, then restaurant where I had my first osso buco many years ago. I enjoyed our chat and we are thinking of having lunch together to continue our conversation.
Here are a few random shots from the gallery:
The champagne and food selections were amazing.
I also had a conversation with a potter that I knew years ago. I told him that when I purchased his work I never knew whether to use it in a functional capacity. His work hovers beautifully between usability and art. He liked that observation and now I have another of Terry Guess’s works in my home. Thank you, Robert, for pointing out how well it went with this textile.
It is a dreary day…rain, drizzle, rain….I could have been writing more on my short story…but didn’t. I did share the excerpt from that story with the poetry group. Positive comments afterwards.
I tried listening to a broadcast about writing “grabbing first lines” . The author (of young adult books no less), and an agent to boot. But could not take his voice and the cheerleader encouragement for the popularity of young adult books. Do they all need to escape into fantasy and lands full of magical beings? Spending time reading classics about to be pulled from library shelves by the crazy ultra right seems a better use of their reading time. Followed by some hard discussions of what is happening in the real world seems a better alternative. My age and impatience of the encouragement to write young adult books “because they are popular” is definitely taking over.
I need another glass of wine now!
Til later…