Indian summer is returning to my neighborhood...

I made it down to the studio just in time to welcome the watercolor artists who study with Marilyn. They come down for lunch and brother/sisterhood and from the sounds of their lively conversation lively conversations and laughter. I was just about to sit down and have my salad with them and my two artists arrived to pick up their works to deliver to their next destination. Ray is such a gentle man and invited Ken and I to visit his studio soon. I am praying for him to heal quickly so he can return to his commissions and future visions. Dalale delivered some of her pieces to Mayor Diebold's second floor office in Newark's downtown city hall. She was almost as gleeful as a child with a new toy with this opportunity to continue sharing her works. I gave her the check ..small that it was but it has a way of empowering another artist to move forward with the journey. After they left I finally got to eat my salad from lunch and began painting my beloved snowmen. Thank you Marcia and Frank for providing the wood and the labor to cut out these joyful little spirits. Tony is a wood worker and advised me to paint both sides of the wood with gesso so that they wood would bend in the exposure to the elements of winter's weather. It seems to be a curious thing ...when I make messes people just have to stop by and see what is going on...I love working in the quiet of the afternoons but visitors always make me smile as I work.

I stopped by the store on the way home to find a new zippered sweatshirt for my dear Mr. Cole. We forgot his at Grandmas when we left to come home and our mornings are pretty cool these days. Grandpa will deliver the Tony Hawk shirt to their house on his way to school. The family has a plan to go to Cincinnati with Dad tomorrow and now I won't have to worry about him getting a cold from the cool evenings.

My house has been neglected lately but order is slowly returning to my life...well as much as my life can become orderly :O)! I warmed up a comforting dinner of beef and whole wheat spaghetti for our dinner and dived into the piles of multiplying laundry that were growing in my laundry room. I miraculously removed the white hand print in sweet frosting from my black jacket that I wore with my grand children...it did come out quite nicely and yet I missed the print as soon as I hung up my new laundered jacket. Little hands make me smile... and for the rest of my life I only want to have washable clothing that is perfect for loving my babies.

Tomorrow I will continue my work on my snowmen. I am having such a good time creating these little spirits that will mark the way for Santa to arrive downtown on his favorite fire truck to light the Holiday lights on our courthouse. I feel so blessed for so many supporters in my living my dream...I received another jar of buttons to use in my works ...silly how these lovely design elements can bring me to tears of JOY! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

p.s. I met a wonderful young woman named Christine Carter who has a passion for her Nature photography and I will be hanging four of her works for the Soul of the Season. I advised her to join the LCA and meet with other photographers in our county. She is now considering her possibility of taking classes with COTC Digital Program. I promise to share her vision but tonight I forgot to bring her portfolio home for loser inspection and consideration. Christine works at our Red Lobster restaurant to make a living but pursues her passion to make her life! Bravo!!