UGHS Jazz Band Concert- Chicago 25 or 6 to 4 ~or Why We Need to Support the Arts in our Schools

The Spell Checker Remembered

The Spell Checker
Originally uploaded by Moonflower Studio

Before there were blogs, there were journals. Ten years ago...

October 28,2000 ...

It is the fourth month of the odyssey, to the day. I am planning a journey to Mayville. I will photograph and video tape the ‘show’ hanging at Artistry. It will not take long, and afterwards, I can go and visit my Aunt Siggy and Uncle Ed. While I have been gathering the things I will need for the trip, I remember once again to look for the John Powell transcripts of “Free To Be Me”. I am not only fortunate enough to find it with “Godspeed”, but also to find the passage in it that has been trying to make its way into my consciousness.
“Sometimes I think that God is like an electrical outlet. God is there, and he’s got all sorts of power waiting there. But you have to get plugged in. And that plug is faith”
I am reassured, to have found it again, and that it carries the same meaning as I remembered.
I telephone Aunt Siggy to tell her of my plans, and ask if a visit would be okay. Her voice...warm and friendly in recognition, enthused at the prospect of a visit, is also surprisingly reminiscent of Mom’s. I attribute the coincidence to biology, but it is a pleasant surprise, nonetheless.
My photos taken, I arrive at their home. I am received with even more warmth and enthusiasm. I had been so worried about them-they looked so very frail at the funeral. Here they are vibrant, with tales of their latest excursion, a riverboat gambling trip. These people are not only strong in spirit, but despite their aging, are equally strong in mind and body. They have their difficulties, but are in no way held back by them. We talk of Mom, and my grandparents; I learn new things. It is almost predetermined that we will talk of faith, which they practice religiously. I bring up lost things and prayers to St. Anthony. Aunt Siggy replies, “Oh, you mean Tony?!” We share the delight of having the same friend. The lilt in her voice, its tone and timber, strikes me again. Again I notice similarities in her voice to Mom’s. It is there in her face, expressions and mannerisms. She is, at once, reassuring me of her own unique vitality, and at the same time, offering me a comforting notion that Mom continues in the same way. Perhaps I was trying to absorb her faith by osmosis. Perhaps Tony was with us, and knew what I was really looking for.
We hugged when I left, and she said I made her feel good; I reminded her so much of her daughter, ‘Peach’. I said she reminded me of Mom.
As I began the long drive home, the autumn sun was beginning to settle low in the sky. The fields and farmlands around me provided a lovely pastoral landscape. I left the radio off to enjoy the serenity, and then, there in the silence, was Mom’s laugh. In my mind’s eye was her smile, and the soundtrack to it was her giggle. Short, sweet and swiftly disappearing, it left its buoyant mark on my soul. I could’ve said it was really her, but I was not a true believer yet.
Later that evening, after Mike had already gone to bed, I discovered a movie had previously begun. I had wanted to see “Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind” for a long time. I had not missed very much at all, and I settled right in to enjoy it. There were blanks in my memory of the movie; at last I’d be able to satisfy my curiosity. As the tale unfolded, its characters tormented by visions and experiences that they did not understand, I began to see the parallels. These people were on an odyssey of their own. These people had questions, these people sought answers. These people were much misunderstood by those around them, and yet they continued on in their quest. These people were dazzled by an encounter with something not of this world...
When the ‘special effects’ alien, surrounded by radiant light, made gestures of peace and goodwill, a thought struck me: “Even if there is life on other planets, I’ll bet we have the same God...”
It was only moments later, movie over and again surrounded by quiet, that the watershed began. The events of the day began to tumble through my head like magic dominoes. All the positive energy built to one powerful surge, and gave me the courage to begin phrasing that question once again to God. Before I could finish the words in my head, I already had my answer.... “But you have to get plugged in. And that plug is faith” I made a quantum leap from the faith I’d already built, to a greater one, and I believed.
And she was there. It was not a dream, it was not a memory, and it was not the comforting appearance of an imaginary friend. This was not a product of my mind. It was an experience of my senses, of my heart, of my soul.
“Mom?!”
And she was there. I felt her with me, and I sobbed in awe and relief. I was there, her baby, toddler, teenager and mother of her grandchildren...and she was there, my Mom. I let every emotion run its course.
When I let go of the experience and brought my thoughts back to this world, I was changed. Grief was no longer a bottomless hollow inside. She was only a heartbeat away, through the most ethereal of clouds. The healing phase of grief began. and continues.
I have no proof. In fact, I told no one for some time. It was only days later when self-doubt crept in, and I feared I would never feel such a wondrous occurrence again. And then I heard her say,
“You found me...did you think I’d let you go?”

Happy Birthday John Lennon

Worth 1000 Words

They say a picture is worth 1000 words.
That, dear followers, is precisely why there have been so very few words here, whilst I have become very active on flickr.
I wasn’t really aware of what flickr had to offer, other than an online place to show off or share one’s photographs.
For me photography was a means to an end. I took pictures of things I was going to paint. I took pictures of paintings “in-progress” and of the final result. And, of course, there were the ‘Kodak moments’ with family and friends. I didn’t imagine, really, there’d be much interest in those.
Photography was (for me) a sort of pipe dream. If you were really going to pursue it, you had to have a real fancy camera. It was the camera that took great pictures, not the photographer. And before the digital age, it also meant needing your own ‘dark room’. I did not have the resources for such a lofty ambition.
Besides that obvious rationale, it was my daughter who was ‘the photographer’. Her pictures were beyond great. They were fabulous. It was no surprise when she bought a real SLR camera. Her favorite pastime was a serious hobby. It was always my opinion that she should go ‘pro’.
That’s really why I went to flickr. I saw really cool stuff there. Like her stuff. I wanted her to go there and show off her stuff. After all, she had won ribbons at the fair for her stuff. Why wait for the fair every year? You could be on flickr every day!
It’s not that she’s a busy soccer mom. She’s a great mom, whose kids are into everything but soccer. Trying to keep up with her and her family is not unlike herding cats. She hardly had time for photography, much less some online extension of it.
Somewhere in the process of researching all this for her, I suddenly discovered some other things about myself. Some of my own pictures were as good as my daughter’s. I offer as an example this bright yellow beach bag and accessories, with the palm tree reflected in the glasses. It went on to become my flickr ‘badge’. Ergo, it is not necessarily essential to have a schnazzy camera to take good pictures. And, one no longer needs a darkroom to develop digital photos. And flickr is not just a photo sharing place. It is, in its own right, as much a social networking place as facebook, or twitter.
Flickr has “groups”. Groups can have almost every imaginable parameter. There are groups for sunsets and sunrises, and like Ecclesiastes, something ‘for every purpose under heaven’. I have seen the exquisite captures of professionals right next to amateur’s cliché. In fact one group I belong to is Cliché Saturday. Another is Worm’s- Eye View Sunday.
I have “met” some really interesting people in these groups. A positive vibe seems to permeate each and every one of these assemblies of picture takers. They leave encouraging comments on my submissions. I return the favor. In less than 1000 words, there is a long conversation. It results in inspiration, challenge, and all manner of ‘chicken soup for the soul’. I have connected my flickr photostream to facebook and provided a link to it here. Just click on the flickr ‘photographr’ badge.

Left the Light on...

“We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine.”
Dwight L. Moody quotes (American Evangelist, 1837-1899)

Soon there will be a full moon filling up the night skies. Tonight, however, there is fog. And sentinels over a century old are still at work, aiding those at sea. The oil lamps are gone; solar power fuels them now. Towers are literally bringing sunlight to the night.

They are like church steeples to me. Monuments to Light; they are guiding and beckoning those in need. Reassuring to others who know their own path. I could write pages about their symbolism…but pictures are frequently worth a thousand words.

This is Wind Point Light near Racine, Wisconsin. It is a beautiful place, by day or night.

If you browse on over to another good source of Light, you’ll find Se’lah’s blog, Necessary Room, and you can also find out how to win a copy of this print!

Hello Kitty Maneki Neko

I learned a white cat being a Japanese symbol for luck on Animal Planet. It was Cats 101, if memory serves me. Shops often display a cat figure, with one paw raised, to beckon or welcome customers. The name for this custom is Maneki Neko.

I don’t know if Hello Kitty is a modern version of this old tradition, but I couldn’t resist the one that I found.



I have a lifetime love of cats and have had several wonderful feline companions. A cat frequently makes an appearance in my paintings.

















I have nothing against dogs; cats just made it my heart faster.



For more detailed info on this custom, its history and legends, click here or here .

For more on the Japanese bobtail Cat, click here

Blessed Events

I have posted some somber events in the circle of life here. It is time to strike a balance.

This weekend's big family news was that my nephew and his wife became parents of a bouncy baby boy. Joyful tears abound...

"It is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us. "

Charles Dickens

Tiny Treasures Tray

I am spending more time on flickr mostly because I am spending more time with my camera. I post something and catch a glimpse of something someone else did. I get inspired, take more pictures, post some...well, you can see how quickly this becomes self-perpetuating. This little collage was going to go to the Creative Challenge Group for the theme of 'Good To Be A Girl'. I was disappointed to find the theme had already been changed. At the same time, however, I found another group: Tiny Treasures. There were several tiny things in the arrangement, so I figured it qualified. Close to the little ladybug is a 'point' (it says '1 POINT' on it) It is a ration point that was used during the Great Depression. I found it inside the small leather pouch in the lower right corner. The oval baby picture is of Mom; the reverse side of which is a mirror.

Next to the oval are tiny embroidered flowers, once used as decorations on a garment. The ribbon came in an order of note cards from Soul Aperture's Etsy shop. It is, by comparison, rather new, but it fit so well. The flickr version of these Tiny Treasures has little notes that tell more of the stories on this tray. Your quite welcome to pop over there to visit. Or you might like to visit Simply Hue's post of her favorites from the past week's challenge: "In A Row". My row of sailboats made it to the set. Like the 'ink' in this post, I'm tickled pink!

Happy Birthday

Today is Se'Lah's birthday. She is the Super Hero of the NecessaryRoom blog. Ever the Champion of the underdog and fierce Protector of Justice, she still manages to pull off HUGE web parties for others. She expects nothing in return.


I think she at least needs an occasional cookie. I decided she might like some NASCAR Oreos.


Happy Birthday Se'Lah!