BOA BABES

Good morning. This picture I post today is a watercolor I did of my friends, Pat, Wanda, Ruth and me who would go to New York City once a year to get away. We would see some shows, shop in Chinatown and be raucous and silly for 3 days away from home and husbands. Wanda was the instigator of this annual retreat. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Wanda passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. She was brave to the end. She was a quiet person with an ironic sense of humor. She was a dedicated employee wherever she worked and was trustworthy beyond the norm. She was a gardener, a cook, a collector of antiques, a compassionate and loyal friend. She was humble. She wouldn't necessarily like it that I am posting this today but she would understand why I needed to do it because she understood me. She will be missed by her husband, daughter, son-in-law, grandson, mother and many more family members. Her friends too will miss her. I knew her 33 years and can't imagine how my life would have been without her. May she rest in peace. May all of you be blessed with such a friend. Give 'em a call.

SUDDENLY

Good morning. This pastel shows a sailboat which appears to be heading into a violent thunderstorm. It seems very fragile as it faces the force of nature. No doubt the captain had a map, had a plan and charted his course to clear the shoals and catch the wind to carry him to his destination. In living our lives, we often have a destination so we get a map, chart a course and navigate the shoals to smooth sailing. But, suddenly stuff happens. Sometimes it's a lack of organization on our part. Sometimes, it's the interference of someone else. It can be a disappointment or an outright storm we feel as tragedy. We are disoriented, frightened and bewildered. How could this happen to our best laid plans? I, for one, don't know. What I do know is that our only choice is to hunker down and ride it out. Once it is over, we start anew. Again and again. We are brave. We do try again. We are heroes and heroines in our own lives everyday. I salute us. Thanks for tuning in.

SUMMER SAIL

Summer is here! It brings with it all the freedom and space a person longs for during the winter. Winter asks us to stay close to home, to huddle for warmth within our four walls, to meet the day in darkness, to end the day in darkness, long before we've had enough time with the sun. We draw into ourselves, we ponder too much and we have longings that we can't even identify. In my case, I am longing for bright days with hot sun, mornings when the sun awakens me and long, lazy afternoons that slip slowly into twilight. In Tidewater, we are surrounded by water and the opportunity to sail, surf and tan by the ocean, rivers and creeks. I am grateful for summer this year, ending a long period of recuperation from heart surgery. I am uplifted by the light. Thanks for tuning in.