Sunday, April 30, 2023

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2003. Mattie was a year old! Mattie was born to walk and run. In fact before he could he was very frustrated! He had no interest in sitting up or crawling! By a year old, Mattie started holding onto furniture and getting used to learning to balance himself and take a few steps (while holding on). Mattie did things according to his own timeline, and I learned to appreciate that about him! I remember years later, I took a photo of Mattie by this same coffee table. By that point he was towering over the table. We always got a chuckle out of comparing those two photos!

Quote of the day: The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. ~ Mark Twain

It was another rainy day with thunder included! Mr. Sunny DISLIKES thunder intensely. It scares him. We know on these kind of days to leave the basement door open, because he tends to find his way down there for shelter! Sure enough..... there he goes!

Do you see the large wall on the right (in our family room)? It has been left bear since we moved in. Mainly because we can't agree amongst us what to hang in this space. Over the last month, I had an idea that I shared with the family. I want to work with a local artist to capture aspects of our outdoor landscape and create a composition of paintings. That will make the composition unique and it will be a meaningful memory to capture of this house. Everyone seemed to like that idea. So today, I reached out to Kim T. Richards. I met her at the Vale School House art show. This art show takes place in our community twice a year. In fact, last year, we bought two of Kim's paintings and they are located above the couch in this photo. 

A close up what 'At First Blush' and 'Friendship and Elegance!'

This weekend the art show was open again, and though I was scheduled to go with my mom, the pouring rain prevented her from going with me. So instead, Peter and I had a minute together to do something independently. I can count on ONE HAND how many times we have had such an opportunity since my parents moved in. 

While walking around the gallery today, we had an opportunity to chat with Kim and to discuss plans for our family room wall. In the process, two of Kim's creations caught my attention.... 'Wild Hope' and 'Be in My Heart.' Ironically these paintings weren't featured together! Nonetheless, my eye saw them together and we had them brought together for me to confirm my feelings. When we lived in Washington, DC, supporting local artists was the furthest thing from my mind. However, now that we are in the house, I want more unique things and I strongly believe in supporting the local artists. Kim will be working on getting these reframed for me, but as I told Peter these are my Mother's Day, birthday, and anniversary gifts wrapped into one. 

Meanwhile check this out! My friend Debbie gave me this lovely orchid last year for my birthday! I have been given many orchids over the years, but we have NEVER been able to get them to bloom a second time once their original flowers die and fall off. Peter has been studying up on orchids and found a window in the house that has right amount of sun and the right amount of food and water, and voila.... look at this second bloom!!!!