What's blue and white and going to the World Series?

How about that game last night? Woohoo! It's great to have a home team going to the World Series. I don't have any Yankees shirts, so I just wore the only blue tee I have- an old Johnson High shirt that says "we ROCK the south". I works though, cause it could just mean south Bronx.

sanctuaries of all sorts

I love going to church.

I love singing the old old hymns

and imagining my grandparents, great grand parents, great great grandparents singing along

(Cause those songs were theirs before they ever reached my ears)

I love praying in a room full of believers.

I love getting something new from a sermon and putting the notes above my desk for further contemplation.

"Where two or more are gathered in my name there am I with them." Matthew 18:20 Unfortunately, not every Sunday morning finds me in church.

Luckily, there are sanctuaries of all sorts to be found in God's creation.

Plenty To Paint

I think the best part about giving yourself a little change in scenery is the window of new perspective it can open in your mind.

A little time out of town can open that window enough to let in the fresh breeze of inspiration.

Even though I'm a Summer lover, I have to admit to that this autumn has been particularly pretty.

I know the golden leaves are really just the Summer's swan song heralding the short cold days to come, but right now, just for today,

I embrace it

accept it

celebrate it

and

paint it! (This painting now for sale in my super mega cheap collection of stuff-you-can-get-for 19.99 here.)

I guess the moral of the story is this; Change, whether in locale or season always gifts you with fresh ideas, and (at least for me) plenty to paint.

Happy in the Hamptons

Who doesn't love the Hamptons?

A sunny day is reason enough for us to jump in the car and make the drive out to Montauk Point!

While Peter took pictures of the scenery I took pictures of him!

Everything is there- beaches, nature, history, art, and food the likes of which is worth the drive in and of itself!

Seriously, if you are ever in the Hamptons you HAVE to go to The Golden Pear for lunch. We had their Morrocan Lamb Stew and the Hunter's Meatloaf- both incredibly delish! (I'm kicking myself for not getting their cookbook... guess I'll just put it on the Christmas wish list.)

Honestly though, the posh shops and art galleries aren't the best part- the shore is! Even though it was too cold to swim, it was still so much fun to explore the rocks at Montauk Point watching the seagulls catch crabs and just take in a little ocean air. I just love being near the ocean.

This is me...

...and this is me if I had a moustache!

In New York. (For a yr now) (Edited)

From "Empire State of Mind"

Now you're in New York

Concrete jungle where dreams are made.

These streets make you feel brand new.

Bright lights will inspire you!

I've loved this song since the first time I heard it.

I just wished someone would take out all the profanities... and make it acoustic... and replace Jay-z with a skinny white guy.

Look! The magical youtube fairies granted my wish!

(btw, adorable skinny guy, kudos for not making your bed before you made a video. *hearts*!)I heart my camera so much. I swear it has a setting for everything.

(Post-edit: OK, so it turns out the adorable profanity removing singer is Josh of Look at the Fields, a supertalented Florida based indie group. Clickie here for some good listening... especially "In God's Hands")

Bake and serve!

Hey honey, what do you feel like for dinner?

Chinese food?

Done, and done.

We are more connected than we look.

“Life just seems so full of connections. Most of the time we don't even pay attention to the depth of life. We only see flat surfaces.”

This painting explores the relationship between two individuals who are connected in ways that the outside observer wouldn't realize.

Heavy (er)

My newest series of paintings is my attempt to be a little deeper.

I don't know why, but somehow I got all hung up on painting birds.

I didn't plan on it, but time and time again I sat down to paint and each time a feathery little critter would wind up peering out at me.

So... instead of flowers or scenes or birds I'm trying to explore the concept of being connected.

It's been a recurring theme in my writing for years, most notably this poem;

(Long time readers will recognize this as the poem I wrote after the death of a friend in 2007.)

I fell asleep in the bath

and dreamt the whole world was an ocean

and everyone was connected

moving together in fluid motion.

Everyone who'd ever lived and everyone who

ever would mingled together unaware

that their past and future

were presently there.

Suddenly I found myself

tangled up in reef

and as I lost my last breath

friends waved goodbye with grief.

I closed my eyes as my heart stopped

then opened them to find

that I was quite healthy,

but completely blind

to everything that in my dream

I'd learned I could see;

Nothing but cold bath water as company.

So I observed my hands

my wrinkled fingers and toes/ and contemplated life and time

and how mysteriously she flows.