The Appeal of Possibility

After the holidays fade begins the excitement of the many seed catalogs that fill our mailbox. Armchair gardeners feast their eyes and fill their imaginations with all the possibilities. Being thrifty of late, I turn from the catalogs to ebay in search of my heart's desire- and this year I plan on growing zinnias, lots of them.

My friend Joyce has the most enchanting bed of this hardy plant and creates arrangements that dazzle with a dappled light reflected in their many petalled blooms. For now, my purchases accumulate in a sunroom drawer as I await the arrival of May, the end of frost and the chance to at long last tip my spade in to the ground.

I Can Hardly Wait

Now that I am serving as an elected official (in the most modest of capacities as a trustee for Sleepy Hollow) I have been exposed to levels of  behavior that has opened my eyes to what passes as civil discourse (and I use civil in the most loose of its standard definitions). Having savored and been repelled by the machinations of Frank Underwood and Co., I am definitely looking forward to the release of Season 3 of House of Cards tomorrow on Netflix. I know their chicancery will far exceed the nuttiness I've seen but there will be a kind of cosmic release in what this new season will deliver even if it's relegated to a screen and not the board room of our village hall.

Mental Health is your Most Important Asset

Managing another day of brutally cold weather- not unique to many of us this winter- means trying to manage the frustration of moving events forward as the environment pushes back in kind. I'm not the sort of person who craves a tropical vacation and mostly endures these months as the price we pay for the pleasures of spring, summer and fall but cabin fever has struck and struck hard. So I study the frost clad window pane with an eye towards appreciating its unique beauty as I would wish it away, longing for the feel of warmer temperatures and the sound of green clad trees rustling in the breeze.

Exhausted by the Hype

Coming up tonight is the Academy Awards. I usually watch this event for all the fascination borne by the parade of celebrities, their clothes, the nominees, the set (will it be tasteful or garish?), the production numbers and award speeches and this year, the sensational addition of Neil Patrick Harris as the host. He's always worth watching no matter what he does as he is absolutely brilliant at everything he does. (and one of my all time favorite tv moments of him on Glee is here).

So like most of my fellow Americans who will succumb to this annual fete of glamour and extravaganza I just hope to stay awake long enough to see who wins in the end. The suspense is killing me. (Not)

When the Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

The nature nurture question prevails. Still you have to get a kick out of how your kids sometime share your interests, even if the level of their fascination is slightly mortifying (I don't recall ever having nails as lovely and well kept as my daughter Sarah's). Yet I admire her precision and passion as long as she's spending even more time hitting the books and going to class.

for those who love (with thanks to e.e. cummings)

In the spirit of this day of days I am substituting some very famous words for my own as I wish you full hearts and happiness.....


i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
 (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
 and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
 higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
 and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

According to Strict Mathematical Principles

I am fortunate to cross paths with a wide range of individuals and along the way I recently helped a neighbor edit her household possessions in light of an impending move. Emptying the kitchen cupboards to explore what should be packed, given to relatives, donated or possibly resold I came upon a very unique serving item decorated with all sorts of lines, arrows, letters and numbers along with the words "Col. D. S. Bradley Patent Cake Divider" also known as a plat diviseur. She had no recollection how this plate came in to her possession.

A plat diviseur is designed for cutting cake, pie, etc. so that a varying number of people can get equal slices. So for those of us who are intent on treating our others similarly, this could be an ideal solution. I have yet to figure out who exactly was Col. D. S. Bradley. Hopefully he (or she) does indeed exist fictionally or actually. The jury is out on that one.

Sturtevant

Despite my best efforts to see exhibitions during my pre-parenthood years, the art of Elaine Sturtevant never appeared on my radar. A visit to the Museum of Modern Art with my brother Bob yesterday introduced me to the work of this intriguing artist with the benefit of seeing a comprehensive survey of her career. I studied conceptual art early on at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design where my instructors encouraged me to pursue my ideas and not worry about fabrication. As Sturtevant's work seems to focus on the meaning of authorship it was thought provoking to wander through the galleries and drink it all in. I left with my mind churning in contemplation of her intent to disrupt our assumptions and beliefs. Always a good thing.


("An artist copies....A great artist steals"...Pablo Picasso)

From Fire to Ice

                         

Winter has arrived in full force. Cold temperatures, snow and ice inspire a weird kind of hibernation.
It's easy to succumb when life allows to the temptations of cable tv and programming on demand. We nest at night and eat dinner by the fire entranced by The Fall, Happy Valley and a new favorite distraction, The Comeback with the always brilliant Lisa Kudrow. Work beckons, the light hits in unexpected places and it's good to have my camera at these poignant moments that occur along the way.

In case you are interested.....

For all of you who enjoy sentiment, Valentine's is a perfect opportunity to express your affection and admiration for those nearest and dearest and as a creator of content, I have a special fondness for this holiday. Over the years, I have designed and delivered many many Valentines and it's always been a labor of...love. This year I thought I would do it a little differently. Instead of making this huge effort to communicate seamlessly through a digital connection- I'm going back to my roots and making cards by hand. My mailing list is too large to accommodate my ability to deploy art materials- so I am asking any of you out there who would like to receive a Valentine from me to let me know a.s.a.p. You can respond to this blog or email me at photodot at att.net if you'd like to receive a handmade card. The first five responders will get something (very endearing) from me mid-February. Reply at your earliest convenience and I'll take it from there!