Woman of Colors

FEBRUARY POETRY challenge to myself

2012-01-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

February always seems to be a hard month, a transitional month, a wintry month, though it does contain Valentine's Day and my birthday and my daughter's birthday. . .it still seems to be a hard month. So, beginning the 1st of February and for the whole month I will daily write and "blog" a poem, which is rather intimidating because I cannot practice or predict what each will be. So, stay tuned for my own POETRY CHALLENGE to push the February blues away. . .

INCARCERATED - the poem

2011-12-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

I wrote this poem last year, but when I began to see the Christmas tree lots spring up along the highways, I decided to resurrect it for the holidays. I still like it very much!

yesterday i saw
a flock of evergreens
ensconced in a
Christmas tree lot
crowded together
pushing and shoving
jostling for position
tightly against a chain
link fence topped
with razor wire
confined with no
way of escape
incarcerated
through no fault of
their own looking
like puppies in a
pound up for adoption
anxiously peering
hopefully expectant
eyes pleading

choose me
pick me
please take me home
with you
pretty please
i'll be your best friend...

POSTSCRIPT

today the 26th of december
i again drove by the lot
and saw the aftermath

looking like photos
from news reports or
pictures from life magazine

the cut-off bodies
boughs laid flat
on the ground
in rows

silent except for
the sound of the
chipper being brought
to life

green expectant lives
new destiny
mulch

perhaps to protect and
nourish newly planted
evergreen sprigs
this spring

if they had mouths
or a voice

would they tell?

Huntington Beach State Park

2011-11-15T09:47:00.001-08:00

After this wonderful trip to the beach I feel lazy and have no amazing words to describe our trip...so I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Lake Lanier

2011-10-09T14:16:00.001-07:00

This week spent in Cumming, GA was pay back for such a brutally hot summer in the south...this week was perfect. Sunny with enough breeze to keep things interesting - cool days and cooler nights making the hot chocolate taste great.

The leaves were just beginning to turn color and I had a pair of scissors, so of course I cut heart shapes to stick on boards and branches to photograph. I'm sure that's exactly what you would have done if you'd had such a beautiful day to enjoy.

Northern Adventure

2011-09-26T13:52:00.001-07:00

OK, if you've been reading my blog for any length of time you know that we like food and I like to take pictures of it. On our trip up north we stopped at a Mennonite weekend market called the Wind Mill overlooking Keuka Lake. I bought great pumpkins and we ate butter steamed potatoes and Zweigle's Italian sausage with peppers and onions. Then we ate ice cream at Seneca Farms in Penn Yan. I had a Mexican Sunday with coffee ice cream and chocolate sauce with Spanish peanuts. Maybe I should be a food writer!! But, back to the pumpkins...northern pumpkins are much more varied and exotic than those offered in Greenville. I think northern ones are "free-range" or perhaps anything bought on vacation just seems better.

One of our favorite family things to do in Rochester, NY was to go to the Rochester Museum and Science Center. Walking down memory lane, Phil and I decided to stop by to see if the dioramas had been dusted and the tiny Indians and their bark canoes had been repaired. Good to say that all was fresh, dusted, and repaired! I took this photo because I have not seen a Mastodon in a very long time.

The Erie Canal flows right through my town and even offers canal rides and week-long adventures on old fashioned canal boats.

My home town of Fairport, NY takes fishing seriously and makes fresh bait available day or night through the use of "bait vending machines" placed strategically around town.

Lake Hartwell

2011-09-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

We have only eaten in one restaurant in Anderson. It is called The Corner Bagel Shop and if it was in my neighborhood, I would go every day and weigh a hundred pounds more than I do. Homemade bread and bagels are turned into fresh creative sandwiches and bagel chips. mmmmmmm This may just be one of the main reasons we camp in this area. Lunch!

Lake level was way down and the shore was muddy, but oh so beautiful when you didn't look directly at it and just considered it all sandy beaches. The water sparkled and the fish jumped. It was perfect!

Although the weather was warm there was a touch of autumn in the air and on a few leaves as well.

Our campsite had a perfect view of the water and the lovely sunsets...as you can see...

Last Tomato

2011-08-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

LAST TOMATO HANGING

dried vines
juicy red fruit
split from recent rains

bees and bugs
and butterflies
lick sweet fermentation

fly off with silly grins
spring's promise
summer's heat

boiled in its own taught
wrapper weeping
warm tears

crimson orb
pierced - penetrated
impregnated by things
with wings

robust living
pulsating
red womb
alive

funeral ants climbing
up golden stalks
crispy stems

dis-assemblymen
eager for
this season

Meet Horace

2011-08-23T06:07:00.001-07:00

Meet Horace, our back yard tortoise. He was first spotted in the spring wandering around a crape-myrtle bush. Lately he has appeared in the garden and this morning he was lustily eyeing the fading tomatoes staked high on sticks. He is a rather quick turtle who moves right along when he wants to get somewhere.

He didn't mind having his photo taken, but then let me know that it was time for him to move on. He had interesting places to go, places I had never seen. I think he likes rotten vegetables and fruit as I've seen him frequent the compost hole. I know there is a poem about our Horace. I'll have to go find it!

Jocassee

2011-08-21T13:39:00.001-07:00

With school back in session and temperatures blessedly below 90 degrees, we enjoyed another camping adventure at Lake Jocassee which appeared very tropical this week!

A water site allowed us to swim and launch the kayaks right out the back door.

We do like to camp with electricity which makes baking cupcakes in "the wild" possible!

Morning Glory

2011-08-14T19:04:00.001-07:00

As some of you may know, because I talk about it all the time, I am compiling a collection of my poems about spring. Or, springish that captures a little summer as well. There are three, so far, about morning glories which flourish on our hillside. Enjoy this tasty one:

MORNING GLORIES ARE
PROLIFIC AND ADVENTUROUS

LIKE CURIOUS PUPPIES
THEY PEEK AND POKE

THEIR NOSES
AROUND

SNIFFING AND SNUFFLING
MORNING'S
FRESH DEW

EACH GLORY AWAKENING
FOR THE FIRST TIME

TRUMPETING PURE
UNADULTERATED
JOY

AT THE WONDER
OF SUCH

NEWNESS
SWEETNESS
KINDNESS

A NEW GLORY
FOR
EACH DAY

HIP HIP HURRAY!

Easy Sailing

2011-08-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

Is that not one of the most beautiful amazing things you've ever seen? Summer has arrived hot and furious in the south which drives all of us southerners inside to partake of air conditioning and mint juleps (perhaps). Inside you may read books about other folks doing things or you can actually do something yourself. So, in the summer's heat I decided to make another art quilt using a sail-boat as my cooling motif. It is very cool!!!

Me in Black and White

2011-07-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a poetry "camp" at Wofford College where I wrote a poem about a photograph we were given of a girl on a bicycle. The photo was probably 70 years old and taken in the Henry River Mill Village of North Carolina. When I first saw the photo, my reaction was "It's me!" I have a picture very much like it in my archives, only taken in Upstate New York.

It's me
It's me on a bike

I recognize the hair
hours spent
ammonia scented
tiny pink and blue rollers
tight against my scalp
shaping curls
cast askew by life and wind

I recognize the sweater
store bought
Momma didn't knit
pale yellow with plastic pearl buttons
freshly scented
cakes of lavender dissuading
moths and other creeping things

I recognize the dress
hand-made
Momma sewed
full skirted - pleasantly plaid
with pockets for important stuff
like tissues and hoppy toads
scented with Fels-Naptha
the dress, that is

I recognize the bike
it is fast
it is freedom
it is adventure and journey on wheels
it smells of red dirt
and green grass
and the fluffy yellow tops
of blooming dandelions

*******

I'm a goin'
and I'm a goin' fast
I may not come back
but
I probably will

I hear there's
chicken and biscuits for supper
and
dare I say
peach cobbler for dessert

postscript: My husband just saw the photo and had the same reaction - he thought it was me.

Lake Jocassee

2011-06-23T16:10:00.001-07:00

When camping, I normally take pictures of our camper, camp-site or kayak, but this time I'm showing our early morning of berry picking at The Happy Berry. If you've never been, you should go and go early because it does get hot. The picking is easy and the place is beautiful and fun and delicious. I also enjoy eavesdropping on conversations going on round about me.

The prized black berries!!!

These are baby figs in progress.

A fruitful foto of luscious blue berries.

The cement statue was snuggled in the grass right where we parked the car. I loved the fact that it was in full view - but hidden. I'm sure most people passed it by as they raced to catch the freshest berries. I like it's quiet presence.

Liquid Fire

2011-06-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

This morning I sat beneath my tent made of timber and shingles and watched last night's rain gently drip off of the roof. Catching or being caught by the sun, it blazed as bright as liquid fire. Of course it is not. It is merely the remnants of last night's rain and hail mixed with thick morning dew - a metaphor on the transforming ability of morning light.

Aluminum Can Flowers

2011-05-30T05:31:00.001-07:00

Yippee!!!! They came out so great...like a little herd of chromatic tin adorning the garden.

These are flowers made out of discarded aluminum cans that once help soda or beer. It wasn't my original idea, but I've had so much fun creating them, layer by layer. When they are finished (sprayed with a clear acrylic) they will be nailed to wooden stakes and "planted" in my flower garden to bloom brightly and faithfully with no water or plant food. They are simple to make by cutting off the tops of cans, cutting again to even out the edges, cut down in strips to form petals, spead out petals, paint and assemble 3 cans to make the ones like mine. FUN!!!

Oconee Point

2011-05-29T12:45:00.001-07:00

One of the best things about this trip was seeing all the bird babies. Our favorite was a pair of killdeer with their 3 chicks that looked like puff-balls on stilts zooming by. Protecting their babies, they ran off every perceived predator including squirrels and an overly aggressive goose.

Storms came through on Thursday evening leaving a trail of foliage debris and several downed trees including one that crashed onto a camper. But not ours.

Our campsite this week was on a point jetting out into the lake where all the birds wandered by. We saw ducks and geese and killdeer and a crane and several kinds of shore birds that looked to be more at home by the ocean than a lake. Again we saw a dead snake on the road.

I love our tacky Christmas lights set up between trees. Who doesn't love Christmas lights?
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It is amazing how much we miss even when we are intently looking. As we were pulling up stakes and getting ready to exit the campground, I spotted this little clump of some kind of blooming plant nestled below a towering pine tree. Someday I'll look it up in my wild-flower book. But, there it was all sweet and cozy and hidden. We never saw it 'till we left. I wonder what else we missed......

Bald Ridge Campground - Lake Lanier

2011-05-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

A simply wonderful week at the beach at Lake Lanier near Cumming, Georgia where we used to live. There were no storms this week and lots of fun visiting our favorite places to shop and eat.

The water was so clear that you could actually see the fish!

The best spot for morning quiet time with a hot cup of coffee.

Our campsite was right on the water where we were able to see ducks and geese and jumping fish. This mom came by every morning with her brood around 10:30 for a quick snack of old hot-dog buns.

Down below the dam on Lake Lanier is a lovely hidden spot for many fly fishermen.

Coffee Mugs

2011-05-03T10:15:00.001-07:00

Do you have too many coffee mugs and don't know what to do with them? Do folks give you mugs as a token, a joke, or a souvenir? There were way too many items in my kitchen cabinets and I decided to take control of the situation by removing many surplus coffee mugs. But, what do you do with them? Where can they go? And what of hurt feelings of those who so contentiously and meticulously chose them for you? As they sat on my kitchen counter awaiting their fate....I had an idea. I love fun stuff in my garden, and so I grabbed them up, carried them outside, and fitted them atop my picket fence where they look quite perky. They are now out of my cupboards and yet still available if I need extras for company. Being ceramic and slippery they do frustrate the neighborhood birds, which I admit is fun to watch!

Hawe Creek

2011-05-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

The most perfect camp-site on Strom Thurman Lake.

These are "mystery" seedlings. Last fall we found some interesting seed pods and saved them till this spring when I soaked and planted the seeds. Amazingly 3 have sprouted and we hope they will grow and discover who they are. To keep them safe and watered, we take them camping!

We saw many wild things on this camping trip including this prehistoric lizard. We also saw a squirrel, ground bees, an eagle (yes), and a dead big snake on the road.

Our camp-site could not have been more perfect. All snuggled in the woods.....

Little Man

2011-04-16T11:21:00.001-07:00

While camping, and making the trek back and forth to the "facilities," I spotted this little "man" on the pavement. He is a 5" tall little wood splinter creature, created as vehicles ran over a thin piece of wood. Reminding me of primitive folk art, I had to take his photo to keep for posterity. By the time we left the campground, he was mostly dust. (very biblical)

Twin Lakes

2011-04-16T11:06:00.001-07:00

Between storms on Lake Hartwell near Clemson........

Beautiful, yet one of the sneezing, itching eye, headache culprits.

The pure beauty of dogwood blossoms....followed by dogwood "snow" when they soar!

NOT COLOR ENHANCED! This is exactly how the sky looked on two evenings. It was so loud...you could almost hear it.

My Writing Chair

2011-04-05T13:32:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, I am in the process of writing about Spring. There are several places where I like to sit and drink my coffee (necessity) and enter in to the immediacy of the moment - Spring. This is my chair, my muse that props me up and gets me going. I think that it could infuse anyone with an extra dash of creativity!

Garden 2011

2011-04-05T13:18:00.001-07:00

No matter how many times you have collected shells and other "what-nots" from the beach...you always bring home more. This time I used my acquisitions to make stepping stones for the garden. Of course, I would never step on these, but its amazing what a bag of cement can do.

The day is lovely enough for a tea party! (and yes, Bernice, that is your tea cup)

Spring is here in Taylors, South Carolina and our garden looks amazing!

Hunting Island

2011-03-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is camping season again! The sheets have been laundered, floor swept, refrigerator filled and we are on our way. The first trip this season is to Hunting Island where we spent a week with temperatures in the high 80"s down to the low 40's. But we were at the ocean, at the beach, so who cares about the weather. The following photo was taken of our breakfast table the first morning...colorful and impressionistic and the coffee was very fine!

Just a short walk from our camp-site to the beach.

Our anniversary dinner at the 11th Dockside Restaurant in Port Royal was magnificent. Married 44 years; we greatly enjoyed the view, the company, and OH YES, the food!

Ah, the sparkle of the ocean and those funky little shore birds....

I just couldn't resist taking this picture with my new camera and zoom lens.

Fence Fish

2011-03-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

One of our many projects in The Art Room at Triune Mercy Center is designing and painting wooden fish. I've been through my house, garage, and shed looking for scrap wood that could be used and came upon a discarded piece of wooden art that I had painted many years ago. It was a large rectangular piece of pine painted with brightly colored flowers and had no current home in my house. So, I got out the jig saw and a marker and cut out this fun fish which now sits along the back fence. And I love it!!! I love to re-purpose. It is so much more exciting and creative to see and think beyond what is or has been and participate in the discovery of something brand new...out of what was. I thank God that I am continually being re-purposed. How static and boring to remain who you were when all the wonder and awe of what could be is just waiting for fresh sight!

Purple Sweet Potato Biscuits

2011-02-23T14:19:00.001-08:00

It all began with an innocent ride to the Happy Cow, a sign in the window declaring the arrival of Stokes purple sweet potatoes from North Carolina, a mystery novel mentioning a southern favorite of sweet potato biscuits, and a Paula Deen recipe for succulent sweet potato biscuits found on-line. The results were wild looking, but quite tasty!

Mixed with flour, butter, sugar, and baking powder, this is the true color as it sat on the lightly floured bread board.

Sweetly cut out with a juice glass and ready for baking...

Steaming hot and fresh from the oven. The verdict is in...delicious!!! That is, oddly colorful and delicious.

Signs of Spring

2011-02-15T12:35:00.001-08:00

I just bought my first gardening magazine of the year. I bought this one because I have decided to go along with the fact that we are in a drought and plant accordingly as opposed to my usual way of complaining so much when I have to water my sun scorched, dried up garden. This magazine has lots of ideas of what to plant that needs no water (or sunlight). It is called "Flea Market Gardens" and the idea is to fill your garden with colorful cast-off funky stuff that requires no seasonal care. I am so excited! And with this new eye, I just saved a cast-off makeup bag on its way to Goodwill by re-purposing it to hang on my garden gate giving a bold splash of color to my February beige garden. I am also looking at a large coffee maker that no-longer works. Hmmm, just might make a good container for cactus!

Forsythia in the Wings

2011-02-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

Last week I cut 3 branches of forsythia from my back yard. The stalks looked dry and lifeless, but I hoped that by putting them in warm water in a sunny window that they would sprout buds and blossoms. This morning I discovered several unfurling buds and immediately had to write my joy and observation:

GOLDEN DROPLETS OF SUNSHINE
CASCADING DOWN LEAFLESS TWIGS
TWIGS THE COLOR OF RAW UMBER
AND DRIED NUTMEG

BEGUN
YET
WAITING

FOR THE NEXT
SWEET/WARM/TEASING BREATH
OF SPRING
TO RELEASE THE CATCH

LAUNCHING THEM
FULL-BLOWN
FULL-THROTTLE
WIDE-OPEN
FULL-FACED
IN RESPONSE
TO THEIR CREATOR

sweet Spirit
breathe on me
as well

poem in transition

2011-02-05T15:17:00.001-08:00

The Winter Poem (following post) just seemed to grow and grow and I didn't know what to do with it. It seemed full of energetic yeast, expanding out of my reach or grasp. So, I wrote about this experience and drew and colored and stamped it into a picture:

Winter poem

2011-02-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

WINTER IS WAITING
NO
WHAT I MEAN TO SAY
IS THAT
WINTER IS
A TIME PERIOD/SEASON
OF WAITING

SO
DO WE WAIT IN SORROW OR REGRET
OF YESTERDAY
OF WHAT WAS OR WASN'T
OR COULD HAVE BEEN

DO WE WAIT IN FEAR OR DREAD
OF THE UNKNOWN
UNANTICIPATED
UNEXPECTED

OR
DO WE RISE UP
ON TIPPY TOES
FACES TILTED
IN PLEASANT ANTICIPATION
WHILE READING SEED CATALOGS
RIGHT ALONG WITH SACRED SCRIPTURES

COUNTING ON
BANKING ON
RENEWAL
RESURRECTION

IRIS AND DAFFODILS KNOW
THEY HAVE NO FEAR
OR REGRETS
SPENDING WINTER
SNUG
SECURE IN LEISURELY ASSURANCE
THAT ALL IS WELL

AND ALL
SHALL SURELY
BE WELL

Valentines

2011-01-25T08:53:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Valentine's Day will arrive in a couple of weeks? I used to work in a flower shop and it was amazing how many folks were actually surprised when the day arrived. They were the last minute shoppers who would spend "anything" to have their ordered delivered by personal currier. After I took their money I would say "Didn't you go to kindergarten? How did you become this big executive without adequate knowledge of major holidays?" Anyway, I have just made some very simple Valentine's for my family by recycling old art. I just cut a piece of unused art to fit an envelope and then cut out a heart shape from another piece of art. I dab a little glue to keep it in place and then zig-zag around with my sewing machine. VOILA! ....a personal, handmade, keepsake valentine....

These are actually 2 Valentines placed over a paper doily atop an envelope for display.

The Art Room

2011-01-11T08:22:00.001-08:00

Just thought you might like to see where I spend much of my time. The Art Room is a large and colorful working art studio in Triune Mercy Center in Greenville, SC. We are open twice a week to provide supplies, encouragement, and community to many of the city's poor and homeless population.

Journal Cover

2011-01-11T08:04:00.000-08:00

The New Year has arrived replete with resolutions and well meaning "new beginnings." One of mine is to be more proactive in my journaling. With that in mind, I created a new journal, painting canvas for a cover and sewing in pages tied with a flourish. So far, I just look at the luscious colors and design while stroking the cover and plumes of beads and fibers. I am not procrastinating or wasting time. I am pondering with purpose....savoring the moment with anticipation of creation! (well, perhaps I am procrastinating a bit)

Christmas 2010

2011-01-01T14:37:00.001-08:00

...and a Happy New Year from my family to yours...

Nothing like a fresh baby for Christmas!

The gift seemed incidental when the "snow" peanuts were released from the box...

For those of you who know our family and know how much we were looking forward to all being together at Christmas (from the utter most parts of the world), here we are!!!

Orphaned

2010-12-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

"Left-over" Christmas trees always sadden me. I think of all the time and energy and yes, love (I presume), that has gone into nurturing and caring for them, to grow them up to become evergreen specimens ready and willing to grace a home or business with their fragrance and beauty. Even before Thanksgiving dishes are washed and put away, the trees have been cut, severed from their life source, and shipped out. I know they are expectant, filled with dreams of tinsel and lights and presents. Perhaps someone has told them what is ahead, their purpose in life, their destiny. And it is made to sound so good and noble and fine. Many are adopted, selected and taken home, but there are those who remain in the lots. Under lock and key there is no escape. I know there are much worse things to contemplate, but today I think and record my thoughts on the orphaned trees, the "left-overs."

yesterday I saw
a flock of evergreens
ensconced in a
Christmas tree lot
crowded together
pushing and shoving
jostling for position
tightly against
a chain-link fence
topped with razor wire
confined with
no way of escape
incarcerated
through no fault
of their own
looking like puppies
up for adoption
anxiously peering
hopefully expectant
eyes pleading

choose me
pick me
please
take me home
with you

Pick Me!

Trust

2010-12-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Because of the techniques I used in coloring the text around the center, this image may be difficult to read. Here are the words written around the central text: "...and then a most curious thing happens...peace comes...creeping in as relentless as the tide...unapologetic, washing over my soul followed by great leaps of waves of HOPE as trust MOST graciously settles in..."

Twirling

2010-12-11T10:02:00.001-08:00

While on our Thanksgiving camping trip, I became infatuated with the rustling falling leaves. So many had already flown off of their branches while others seemed flighty and anxious to be moving on. Many were still attached and wavered like a loose tooth. Non appeared reticent, attempting to hold on, but rather wiggled around boldly facing forward into their new season. I liked that and put it on this page.

Polka Dots

2010-12-10T11:46:00.001-08:00

I punch many holes with my hole punch as I make pages for my 3-ring journal. By gravity these fall to the floor where they tend to accumulate 'till someone vacuums them up. The sunlight in my studio attracts my cat who rolls in its solar warmth and exits the room covered in dots held in place by static cling.

Alchemy

2010-12-07T11:37:00.001-08:00

While decorating a Christmas tree to be used in the dining hall at Triune Mercy Center, I came up with the idea of using an old hymnal that I had purchased at Goodwill for $1.00. I tore out pages and cut star shapes which were glued to string like a garland and flung upon the tree. Some were upset that I had used the hymnal in an unconventional way (desecrated it). "But" I said, "I have turned music into stars!" And as I continued in this thought, the attached page for my three ring journal came into mind.

Diving Ducks (poem)

2010-12-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

This is an experiment that I wanted to share. While on a recent camping trip, I watched diving ducks or ducks diving for a very long time. Fascinated and mesmerized, I wanted to record this in a poem. I wrote the poem, then painted the poem and painted it again. I may even paint it another time and see what blossoms. I don't know if it is progress or just adventure with words and color...but I like it. What fun to take the words and swing them like rainbows just to observe the effect!

Recipe

2010-11-19T07:15:00.001-08:00

I have never been known for my great skills in the kitchen. I love watching the Cooking Channel, but rarely participate. Occasionally something does catch my attention as being simple enough for me to give it a try...and this marvelous salad recipe did not disappoint. It may sound weird, using tomatoes and peaches (canned work as well), but believe me it is a keeper. Try it - you'll like it!

Bulbs (poem)

2010-11-15T10:46:00.001-08:00

Twin Lakes

2010-11-15T10:05:00.001-08:00

Sunlight sparkling like diamonds on Lake Hartwell...autumn leaves crunching beneath our feet...the fragrant aroma of camp-fire smoke...peace, peace, and more peace...

Yellow Flowers (poem)

2010-11-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

My illustrated poem about the flowers now appearing in my front lawn.

Poet Me

2010-10-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is me on a beautifully crisp autumn day sitting in Carl Sandburg's chair in Flat Rock, NC. It is OK, because he wasn't using it at the time and I had just discovered that I am a poet. This truly was a revelation. I had thought that I was just painting pages in my journal and writing my observances on top of the colors in an interesting and creative manor...when what to my surprise I saw that they were actual poems, funny little poems, but poems never the less. I think I will call it "illustrated poetry" which will encompass this new genre. How exciting! What a lovely revelation! How unique a gift! So, when I found Carl's chair unoccupied, I thought to take a rest and a ponder and to peruse this newness occurring in autumn when things are normally coming to closure, falling apart, or drying up. In future blogs I will begin to reveal my new work as I scan my colorful wordy pages and post them.

Front Porch

2010-10-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Since moving to the south many years ago, I have often made fun of southern porches with major appliances and/or upholstered furniture. That is until a few weeks ago when we were removing a chair from the living room to the garage via the front porch. Its destination was Goodwill. But it has had a layover right next to the front door. I did it first as a joke, a southern joke. And then I sat in it on the porch...and well, actually it felt nice and was actually kind of fun. So, I thought I'd leave it for a day or two. It is now into its second week and we are becoming great friends, the porch, the chair, and I. I'm not sure how long will be the reprieve from Goodwill, but I now understand the attraction of stuffed furniture on the front porch. I also eat grits and greens!

Hunting Island

2010-10-24T14:48:00.001-07:00

We call our little camper "Daisy" because we get to driver her around!!

She especially liked this campsite (58) at the Hunting Island Campground.
Gathering my "implements of creation,"I greatly enjoyed my time on the beach.
Phil and I were up and out early to take sunrise photos of the landscape...but this picture just happened and I LOVE IT!!

Beach Time

2010-10-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

Can you feel the peace? Can you hear the surf? Can you smell the shrimp? A wonderful week spent at Topsail Beach compliments of Jim and Bernice. Ahhh...

Lake Russell

2010-10-02T09:22:00.000-07:00

Thank God that autumn has finally arrived in the south. We left home for Calhoun Falls in the middle of a rain storm and arrived as the rains were moving out and on down the road. The fragrance of water-washed and sun-drenched pines was both welcoming and intoxicating. Patches of crimson and russet poked out amidst the greenery along the shores, or should I say beaches, of Lake Russell. One of my favorite sightings was that of a gramma riding her bright red electric scooter with a large metal basket attached to the handlebars. In the basket sat her 8 month old grandson with the most delightful look upon his face; the identical happy, self satisfied grin as his gramma.

Three Ring Binder Art Journal

2010-09-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

While exploring the art of art journaling, I have come up with the idea of personal art through a small 3 ring binder. Personal art is the creation of art just for you, not to sell, hang on walls, or give to friends. It's personal. I fill the binder with a wide variety of accumulated papers. Some I keep as is and others I prepare with paint or stamps or....whatever is at hand. Then as the mood strikes, I write or paint more on the pages. The absolute beauty of this process is the FREEDOM you have with your pages. Sequence is irrelevant as they can be changed out at any point OR even tossed. You are in control! The following is one of the first completed pages. I had painted a very quick acrylic sketch of a bird and then the words just came to mind.

Oconee Point

2010-09-18T08:18:00.001-07:00

Oconee Point is one of several Army Corp of Engineer Parks situated in Georgia and South Carolina on Lake Hartwell. This was one of our best camping trips ever. Fall was in the air and our site was right on the water. We could roll out of bed and go for a swim or an adventure in our kayaks. Since the kids were back in school it was VERY peaceful!
What a view!
Anything with bacon tastes great!!
Morning has broken.....

Lake Jocassee

2010-09-04T13:03:00.001-07:00

The weather has broken and we are out and about again!! If you will look carefully at the top photo, a little to the right, you will see the corner of a hammock...a grand new addition to the camping experience! The weather and water were just right and all the little children were back in school so that the campground was very quiet. Lovely!

Nestled in the midst of a little forest (and right across from the bathrooms).

Nothing better than bar-b-qued chicken!

A very happy and handsome retiree!

I had brought a zinnia bouquet from my garden and when we left, I just put them in the midst of an old stump.

G Magazine July/Aug 2010

2010-08-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

Arts: Lingering Gaze
Local artist gathers her observations on Greenville in handmade book
WRITTEN BY: APRIL A. MORRIS

Walking down the street, cell phone to ear, you may not have noticed the striking curve of a branch over the sidewalk or a butterfly soaring over the Reedy River. Observing and absorbing the world today is sometimes superseded by our engagement with technology or other preoccupations. Greenville artist Karen Lucci felt this disconnect and recently resolved to pause daily, look around, and record her “noticings” in a journal. From this practice has grown The Fine Art of Noticing, a homemade publication featuring Lucci’s musings.

Bound in heavy paper, actually her own recycled art prints, the tall, slim volume—twelve pages to be exact—is a pleasure to hold and truly a tactile experience. Miles away from a Kindle or an iPad, this hand-bound and stitched, self-published book contains a distillation of Lucci’s daily noticings edited by three writer friends. Each photocopied page features an entry set in Greenville, ranging from people and nature to memories and poetry. Lucci says she felt drawn to put pen to paper after working on stories for a nonprofit newsletter and weekly prayer e-mails. “I’ve always been a writer without realizing,” she adds.

Because the covers are made from several different Lucci prints, the outer image varies and often depicts a local scene. “It’s more than a card, but it’s got a poetry feel about it,” she says. And the publication’s popularity has proven to be strong. Readers have been purchasing copies in the initial run of seventy-five as gifts, especially for the person who has everything, says Lucci. And this summer she is working on a second edition that is scheduled to be released in late August—something that should not escape notice.

The second volume of "The Fine Art of Noticing" is now available. If you liked the first, you will equally like/love the second which is focused on literary sketches of my walks down Main Street and into the parks of Greenville, SC. The cover painting is a fabulous picture of local folks on the Liberty Bridge. Both of these books are now available at Liz Daly Designs on Main St. in Greenville, SC of course!

Garden

2010-08-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

Some folks display their collection of dainty tea cups in lovely cabinets in the dining room. I, however, challenge mine to defy the elements and grace my garden with their pristine presence! My next "Noticing" book will be thoughts I have gleaned from my garden. And yes, that's me in my garden!

New Paint Job

2010-08-21T09:13:00.001-07:00

I just spent a week repainting the lower level of our home. I had planned this for six months and am so glad that I had put aside a whole week. I'm not as young as I used to be (a ha) and it definitely took a while to do, but I am so happy with the results...especially the front door!

Summer Garden

2010-07-07T11:32:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know I should have removed the hose before I took this photo, but gosh its hot!

Mostly I just like to sit and observe my garden - what works and what doesn't - what attracted my attention last week and has now become ( to my way of thinking)mundane. Everyday I enjoy my little angel in the bird bath and now with the flowers encircling the base...it just makes me smile and feel content...that somewhere, right now, all is well with the world...at least in my little spot of it.

Marigolds are such accepting, tolerant little flowers. They ask for so little and yet reward us with bouquets of brillant color and an odor that will keep the bunnies at bay.

Lake Hartwell

2010-06-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

All settled in and ready to enjoy.

Gladiolas from home.

Work in progress.."it's all so green!"

A hot summer's evening still requires a campfire complete with s'mores.

Pochade

2010-06-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

A pochade is a small painting done in a little wooden box on a tripod, "plein air" (on location). These are several paintings (6x8") that I have done for each camping trip. They are precious little souvenirs of our journeys.

Lake Hartwell

Lake Russell

Calhoun Falls State Park

Hunting Island State Park

Lake Keowee

Myrtle Beach State Park

Myrtle Beach

2010-06-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

We did not take any photos of our camp-site as everything was just a brilliant green.

Brookgreen Gardens near Myrtle Beach.

Sculpture of girl feeding a squirrel. If you look carefully you can see a real lizard on her head.

Monet must have been here!

A frisky frolicking water feature at Brookgreen Gardens.

My idea of heaven. There is an upscale development called Market Commons where you can actually buy a condo and live above Barnes & Noble.

Hunting Island State Park

2010-05-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Site 124.

Why does "camper" food always taste so much better? Perhaps it has to do with the red and white checkered plastic tablecloth.

Famous light house!

What can I say?

Preparing for a late afternoon paddle around a quiet lagoon.

Deer all over the place. So peaceful and quite at home.

I am purposing to create little oil sketches of each place where we camp. There were so many deer that wandered though our site, I just had to incorporate one in my painting as well as "laundry drying."

Traveling Plants

2010-05-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Again, Phil's seedings are on the move. They journeyed north with us as they were still too fragile to be exposed to the elements on their own. Some are now planted and others ready for another trip!

Iris

2010-05-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

Purchased in bud form, this arm load of iris was enjoyed as they each burst into bloom!

Cousins

2010-05-07T08:59:00.001-07:00

"Cyber-Babe" and "Computer-Geek" share table space as they surf the net!

Train Ride

2010-05-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

A lovely short train ride in Strasburg, PA.

Upstate NY Wedding

2010-05-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

Family wedding in Fairport. Can you pick out the "brothers?"

Northern Trip

2010-05-07T08:34:00.001-07:00

Views along the Erie Canal in Fairport, New York.

Camping

2010-04-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Our first camping trip of the year was to a State Park at Lake Russell where we had the BEST campsite on a point, surrounded by water on 3 sides. Some of Phil's seedlings weren't ready to go into the ground at home and so we brought them along. Kayaking was great and I found time to do a few oil sketches. As you can see, it ended on a lovely pastel note!

2010 Gardens of Lucci

2010-04-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

2010 is commencing as a great year for the garden. With adequate rain and loving care, the garden is responding with great flourish!
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Retired!

2010-04-05T14:18:00.001-07:00

The Fine Art of Noticing

2010-03-12T10:06:00.001-08:00

This much awaited book is gaining traction and will soon be offered to the public in several locations around the Upstate. By the end of March it will be available at Gage's in Lewis Plaza and the Art & Light Gallery in the Flatiron Building in the arts district of Pendleton St. Stay tuned for more locations!

Envelopes

2010-03-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

If any of you know me personally, you will know that many times I cannot leave well enough alone. When a creative surge hits, I simply must do something colorful and usually involving glue or paint, and perhaps scissors. When I finished my first little book, I wanted to mail it to a friend and discovered that though it was a wonderful size and interesting shape, it would not fit in a conventional envelope. Oh my! So, I bought a larger envelope and cut and pasted and painted and stamped, even glued on a fancy Belgium stamp and produced an envelope that would work (with extra postage). This is just a sample of the custom envelopes that would so make the recipient smile!

Got Milk?

2010-03-11T09:33:00.001-08:00

I just had to take this photo on a recent snowy day as I waited for a friend to fill up the gas tank at a local gas station. The snow was not sticking, but the sky was filled with huge snowflakes whisping through the air. When I saw this truck and the wonderful "cow" picture, I just knew it had to be recorded!

The Fine Art of Noticing

2010-01-21T13:32:00.001-08:00

The Fine Art of Noticing is the first of a series of thin volumes about and from Greenville, SC. Each book is hand bound, utilizing recycled art for the covers with title and other information stitched on. They make a delightful read and are sure to become collectors' items as further volumes come to light. Written and literally self published in a creative and artistic manner by Karen Lucci. These little gems are now available at the Upcountry Museum in Greenville, SC.

THE BUZZ:

Kathy - "delightful indeed, and a pure joy to hold. I literally had to slow myself down, as I wanted to consume the book all at once. The stories resonate in a way too private to try and explain, and have sparked a journey of soul searching with a different lens than I've ever had before."

Deb - Karen Lucci looks at the world in a different way than most of us do. She sees joy and delight and beauty in the most ordinary places. Her handmade book is a charming example of her gracious and grace-filled outlook."

Jayne - "enchanting"

Deborah - "I have enjoyed the book so much...right down to the beautiful cover. It inspires me to notice the little things I'm missing day to day."

Judy - " 'The Fine Art of Noticing' " is charming, witty, and filled with heartwarming adventures. I found it so delightful that I keep it on the kitchen table for a quick 'hug' during the day."

Art Quilt

2009-10-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

An "art quilt" helps to cover and warm the heart.

This small jewel was created for a friend with the theme of "hope."

Using many pieces of fabric, embellished with thread, shells,

and other found objects,

I've endeavored capture an essence of

hope, resurrection, and new life!

The Gardens

2009-07-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

With abundant rains in the spring and some this summer, our garden has overflowed with lush vegetation. We should name our little plot of ground "Morning Glory Hill" because of the effusiveness of the vining trumpets of blue and purple and red. Phil's tomatoes have been transformed into many containers of sauce. And those little yellow cherry tomatoes have been consumed like candy. A bumper crop season for flowers and vegetable!

Park Art - Greenville, SC

2009-07-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

Living in Greenville, SC, I love to walk along the Reedy River with a cup of coffee in one hand and my paints in the other. When I find a spot or a subject, I take time to record that on paper. Here are just of few of my renderings in acrylic paint.

Triune Mercy Center - Tea Time

2009-07-13T10:08:00.001-07:00

Our Tea Parties are becoming the "in place" to be at Triune Mercy Center. We have parties before holidays or to celebrate special events. The parties are hosted in The Art Room and come complete with china cups and cucumber sandwiches!

Triune Mercy Center - The Art Room

2009-07-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

The Art Room at Triune is bursting with freedom of expression and the joy of creativity. It is a place near downtown Greenville, SC, where I get to play with some amazing creative people. We paint, sketch, sew, knit, laugh together, cry together, and sometimes even sing together. It is an amazing space where all are welcome and encouraged to SHINE!

2009-07-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

From the July/Aug issue of G Greenville Magazine:

(check out http://www.gvillemag.com/)

Arts Feature: The Art Room
Painter Karen Lucci and Triune Mercy Center feed the homeless population’s hunger for creative expression

Greenville’s poorest flock to Triune Mercy Center at the corner of Rutherford Street and Stone Avenue. They come for food, clothing, jobs, and help with addiction. But about a year ago, the patrons of this place got a surprise. A local artist assembled a working studio above the cafeteria so that she might open her doors to the creatively starved.
“People can come in and paint, sew, knit, or write,” explains Karen Lucci, a professional painter since the 1980s and the brains behind the brushwork offered at The Art Room. There are no formal programs. No set projects. People who can’t afford a box of crayons are encouraged to simply show up on Sunday afternoons and be inspired.
Although most of the artists create pieces to give as gifts, some of their work is rotated on display in the sanctuary of Triune; those pieces that are left behind are sold to benefit the program. “The Art Room was a grassroots ministry, and it turned out to be one of the most wonderful things at Triune,” says Triune Mercy Center’s the Reverend Deb Richardson-Moore. Many clients express that their only other exposure to art has been during incarceration.
“The only way they can paint in jail is to take the color off M&M’s. They call it ‘candy colors,’” Lucci explains. One gentleman, who after being imprisoned struggled to adapt to a more conventional style of painting using watercolors and quality paper, has become an Art Room regular. And as an added benefit, his enthusiasm for art has helped him in an ongoing battle to overcome addiction.
It’s not unusual for students to show up at The Art Room high on drugs or in the throes of mental illness. But, says Lucci, “You have to let it be what it is and accept these people for who they are and where they are at that moment. It’s a place where they aren’t just a bum or a number. You know their name. And that’s what’s so important.”
—Nichole Livengood
Donations can be delivered to: 
Triune Mercy Center222 Rutherford StreetGreenville, SC 29609  
or
G Magazine241-A North Main StreetGreenville, SC 29601
To make a financial contribution to The Art Room, mail a check payable to:
Triune Mercy CenterP.O. Box 3844Greenville, SC 29608

Tea for two.

2009-06-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

"Secret Society of Vintage Chicks."

Listen.

2009-06-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."

Dream.

2009-06-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride."

Sing for a cup.

2009-06-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

"They were always making mischief."

An invitation.

2009-06-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

"They went peacefully about their tasks."

No trouble.

2009-06-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."

Always wanting to be a redhead.

2009-06-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

"No matter how good the fishin', we always find time for a song and a good cup of tea."

Bohemian Tea Party.

2009-06-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

"They always color outside the lines."

You take the cupcake!

2009-06-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

"In the company of women I have learned many things."

Women of Tea.

2009-06-15T12:33:00.001-07:00

"Thank God for Tea! What would the world do without tea? - how did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea."

Thanks for the sunshine.

2009-06-15T12:30:00.001-07:00

"A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives the rose."

Hospitali - tea

2009-06-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

"I could have introduced you to some very beautiful people. Mrs. Langtry and Lady Lonsdale and a lot of clever beings who were at tea with me. Oscar Wilde."