Happy New Year from Us!

We wish you everything good and wonderful in the world.

Happy Birthday to Sandy, Too

My friend Sandy Gaby, whom I haven't seen in perhaps a dozen years, also has a birthday today. I don't have a digital photo of her. Since it had been so many years since we had actually even talked, I decided to call her this morning and catch up. She nows lives (back) in Connecticut and is happy managing property for Prudential. I was glad I called. Not only was it fun to catch up, but she said it was the best present she had gotten so far. That makes a person feel good! :)

Happy Birthday to the Goofy One

Here is Jim setting off for a short run down the Roe Jan, one of his most favorite things to do, on Thanksgiving, which we spent at the cabin. The boy, the boy! He's my boy! And now he's my 57-year-old boy!

Happy Birthday to Carey!

Here is Carey relaxing and reading the morning W. Post on my front porch in early October, after we got back from NYC where she had her doctor appointments, we took down the GGRF exhibit at the Phoenix Gallery, and we had a few actual fun adventures. Note the red toenails. I think they say it all.

December 29 Coming Up

A few days ago, after I sent off the check to The Tesfa Foundation to buy shoes for the girls on Team Tesfa (in time for the holidays and their first race), I thought how symbolic it was to be able to do so at this point in time....because I had read the article that inspired me/Girls Gotta Run shortly after Christmas in 2005. It seemed a poetically nice circle of events, starting and coming to first fruition during the holiday season. Curious as to the exact date, I checked back and discovered to my surprise that it was December 29....which hadn't struck me at the time, but when I saw it again, in retrospect, I was a little like....Wow! That date again! So significant...!
It's always seemed to be, for me, the start of something really good.

December 29 is the day my mother delivered my first baby sister, Carey, the longed for baby and sister.... the one, after what seemed like a never ending series of foster babies we had for my whole young life, babies we loved and had to let go, we could keep. And...very nice mommy gave me two more babies, a brother, Charles, and another sister, Katy.

December 29 is the day my mother-in-law delivered my husband. I always felt that fact rather confirmed that he was meant for me. We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary in May.

So to have discovered that December 29 was the day the W. Post printed the article that was the impetus for Girls Gotta Run...well...like...Wow. That's just way too cool.

Happy Winter Solstice

Tonight brings the Winter Solstice to North America.

Solstice means "standing-still-sun" and occurs when, because of the earth's tilt, your hemisphere is leaning farthest away from the sun, and therefore the daylight is the shortest and the sun has its lowest arc in the sky. It will occur in North America on December 21 or 22, depending on your time zone.

EST: Dec 22, 1:08 am

CST: Dec 22, 12:08 am

MST: Dec 21, 11:08 pm

PST: Dec 21, 10:08 pm

Many cultures the world over perform solstice ceremonies. At their root: an ancient fear that the failing light would never return unless humans intervened with anxious vigil or antic celebration.

Christmas was transplanted onto winter solstice some 1,600 years ago, centuries before the English language emerged from its Germanic roots. This may be why the annual celebration of the "rebirth" of the sun came to mean "the birth of the Son."

A solstice candle, lit at sundown and allowed to burn in a safe place through the night, is a simple tradition deeply connected to ancient ways.

I took all of this info from this site if you are interested in learning more: http://www.candlegrove.com/solstice.html.

May your winter solstice be filled with good cheer, reflection, hope for the rebirth of the light, peace, and lots and lots and lots of love.

More Photos from the Exhibit

http://members.purespeed.com/~peo/girlsgottarun/moderntimes/

Happy Birthday To Me, Happy Birthday To Me

So, today's the big day! Check out the painting in the last entry if you don't believe it's a good thing. I made the painting specifically for Kay, but it applies to us all. And the riches come pouring in...where to start...

The Goofy One, who said that I can celebrate my birthday every day for the next year, giving me an excuse to have everything my way at all times, whatever I want when I want it, whatever I don't want, when I don't want it... started off this a.m. by singing the birthday song to me, so far, three times...once when he woke up, again before he left for work, and again when he called just to sing it, at 11:00 or so.

A few days ago a very beautiful pair of leather gloves arrived from one of my best friends from high school; a couple days ago, a gorgeous dressy but warm holiday blouse from Mom, yesterday a whole winter outfit, including sweater, scarf, hat, gloves, and vest from Sister Little; last night a long phone call from Sister Middle and Sarah. Yesterday and today, two beautiful email cards from my daughter and another from a former student. Over the past few days, lovely emails have come from other friends, and just a few minutes ago this lovely email letter from "Little" Brother:

"Happiest of birthdays to you to you ;)

i read your poem and saw your picture in the echo. it was very nice. I reflect on my limited knowledge of your life and what i think drives you and i hope that you feel all the good you have brought to people and the world in general.

You are a very intense person in your desire to change the unjust dogma of the world and I have always worried it would be the death of you. And on the other hand you have managed to crack the crust of unfairness on many issues due to your intensity.

Anyway, EYE am glad to see you mellowing ;). I am grateful you have found art to relax you and yet still use it to affect major change in the unfairness of the world.

I am sure our father would be immensely proud of you. I know I am.

happiest of birthdays sister big. I love you.

lil bro"

Hmmm....so far, I'm right. 60 IS Glorious!

60 Is Glorious, No Matter How You Look at It

Ann Darr, 87; Aviator During WWII, Poet

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR2007121001832.html?nav=rss_metro/obituaries

"60 is Glorious"

The BookWoman Painting

Received this message from Yvette Murray, coordinator of the silent auction at Book Woman, in response to a question someone had asked me about possibly buying it:

"Hello Pat,

Love the colors in your artwork! It has already brought BookWoman good fortune. A few minutes after the piece was placed on display, a woman came into the bookstore with a substantial donation!!!

For people who live elsewhere and want to bid on your work, Susan Post, the owner of BookWoman, has agreed to accept bids by telephone (512-472-2785). Callers should ask the sales clerk to check the bid sheet for the last entry. We'll be accepting bids at BookWoman through Saturday, December 14th. The silent auction will close the following day at an event. Thank you for your generosity! Best wishes in future endeavors!

Yvette"

So, if by any chance you are interested in owning that painting, you know what to do!

Happy Birthday to My Daughter!!

The immaculate conception has nothing on me....My daughter and I are both turning 60 this month, only she is doing it today and I'm not doing it until Thursday..how about them apples?!!?

Several years ago, on a trip to Crete, I adopted Kay Elaine Keys. She has been a wonderful daughter. To see a picture of her and a lot of pictures by her, click here:

http://kaykeys.net/

Extraordinary (E)Mail Week

This week I received an email from a dear college friend I haven't seen or heard from in over 30 years. He said he just wanted to "drop a line, say hello, and reminisce a bit." I told my Mom about it and she remembered him very well as the "sweet young man" he was...he remembered that we used to call Katy "Binky." !...and apparently had as good an impression of my parents and family as Mom did of him.

I also received an email from a former MVC student, one who graduated in 1996. She had gone into teaching herself and perhaps because of that had been bothered all these years by a matter of conscience during a class she had taken with me, so wanted to apologize! But she also wanted to say how much she valued the enormous amount of time and attention both I and other MVC professors of hers gave to our students on an individual basis and that she tried to do the same with hers...and that she also still told everyone about my spinach lasagne...the best she's ever tasted to this day.

I also received an email from Stacey, my "little" writing protege, for whom I provided initial support and direction several years ago when she first sent me her writing and asked me what I thought of it, did it show any talent, any promise? What should she do? The answer was yes, it definitely did. So, from an initial toe dabbling into a couple of non-credit creative writing courses to build her confidence, she applied for and got admitted to a creative writing Master's program. Over the course of the past few years I have been reading her writing...and she mine.....and now the news is that she has finished the first draft of that book she's been working on, she will be taking her last class for the Master's degree in the spring, and that she taught a composition class at the community college where she works this fall and feels confident that teaching is the direction in which she wants to go. I'm very proud of her! !!

All of these emails amazed me...and continue to amaze me. Life. Sometimes it makes me want to cry for joy.

Report and Some Photos

from last night's opening reception for the Girls Gotta Run Holiday Art Exhibit:


http://authenticart.blogspot.com/2007/12/art-for-another-good-cause.html

New Painting

for The Fistula Foundation (http://www.fistulafoundation.org/) fundraiser. It's called "Prayer for the Girls' World."

New Painting

for Bookwoman (http://www.ebookwoman.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp) fundraiser. It's called "Save Bookwoman!"