student art

one of my art students is learning how to paint with acrylics. my boss's wife is into penguins and wants to buy it. it is not quite finished. there is some more shading to do and the yellow to add. she was looking at another picture which is a time honored way for artists to learn to paint and not considered cheating as long as you don't try to pass it off as being done by the origianl artist. quite different that the rest of the world.

sidewalk art

it has been rainy for a few days. these plastered leaves are from another rainy day.

friday afternoon suprise

my blog had a package delivered to my house today.... by the boss's wife , even. it came to the main building just after i left. : ) my blog is so happy, it was a propane gas lantern to put on the picnic table. i think that no matter what, i have to have one more fall fire. the lamp, the fire, and my dragonfly lights will make a cheery spot in the middle of the gardens. after all, winter does not start until late december. the table and chairs are still out. this is a big weekend so it will have to be this sunday or monday evening... even if it snowing. it has been raining and gray for the last three days, so i need a little light in my life and i can drag wood out from the bottom of the wood pile. i think hot chocolate and toasted marshmellows are in order.

starry, starry night

driving down the road at night is like traveling through the galaxy. the dash a close solar system and the towns and cities in the distance the far reaches of the sky with farm lights lone stars inbetween. the contrast of the light against matt black seduces thoughts of beauty. but beneath the cover of dark lays the dust on the dash, splash marks on the hood, trash in the ditches, and chipping paint on ancient buildings. you could be almost anywhere--there are no land clues, mountains, forests, grant wood hills. you can imagine a world and build a life. light kills the illusions--real light blindingly erases all flaws.

journey to faithful ancients

went to a nice little town church sabbath to give the offering appeal. must be 75 or less members. solid color wavy glass windows surviving another century cast jewel pools of light on the pews which were wooden, but covered with home made cushions. the covers were flannel and almost flour sack patterened. i chose to set on a bare place only because i thought they might be saved places for the members. old new england churches actually had little boxed in seats for families. everyone was old and older. there was a sweet innocence in their responses to the lesson and they have weathered enough to have steadfast faith no matter what happens. even though they were quite conservative, ladies wore slacks--i would too, to keep warm and it is a lot easier to put on trouser socks than pantyhose ( an invention of the devil, i must say--terribly unsexy). they have potluck every sabbath; this week included beets (yum), mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, several pasta salads, muffins, some mystery cassaroles, and unidentifable desserts. the pastor who has several churches, i have heard him before, never fails to mention the swing from legalism to saved by grace. i think he always brings it up when he sees me--we stand askew. (working on the use of perfect in the bible, to give him--but then maybe not) there are several in this area who believe we can be perfect (with or without help from above) for him saved by grace is interpreted by people as license to do anything. it seems to me to be rather arrogant to think you can be perfect. i don't see many people being translated nowdays. what a heavy burden. saved by grace is freedom from worry, from carrying the load. not license to do whatever. it seems to me if people have some understanding of the gift given, they will try to be better with help in response to the gift.
and then there is that whole mishmash of what are the basic beliefs. 27? probably not. a lot simpler than 27 but as complex as infinity.