Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.

It has been a strange Christmas here.

My granddaughter is in the hospital with severe dehydration. They thought it was due to a stomach virus/ear infection but she is also clutching her stomach and crying. It is hard to know with a two year old.

Some of our Christmas has been nice. A nice time yesterday morning with my stepson and husband. A Christmas tea with my mother this morning. In between a visit to the hospital where some gifts were given to the sick baby. I am going again soon.

My son is in Quatar. My love goes out to all soldiers serving the country at this time of year.

Angels

Are angels real? I believe that they are and that I had an experience with angels.

One night about ten years ago now, I was headed home from a retreat. It was late on a Sunday night, and I was very tired. Driving my Suzuki Samari I turned on the highway to go up to my home in the mountains, where I lived then. I navigated the curvy sections of the road fine, but grew more and more exhausted the closer I got to home. I must have fallen asleep on the straight stretch, but was dreaming I was still driving. And, I dreamed I was closer to home than I was.

The oncoming car lights woke me. I had not gone over the line, but was speeding towards a T-intersection. I barely saw the "stop ahead" sign when I slammed on my breaks. The Suzuki spun several times in the deserted intersection, then hit the gaurdrail on the drivers side. As the car flipped over in the air for a second time, I knew I was going to die. I thought. Well, this is it. My second thought was that I did not want this to be "it." I wanted to see my children grown, doing well and happy. And, I wanted to meet my grandchildren. Immediately, I had a vision of being surrounded by people. The verse from the Bible "Surrounded by so great a cloud of witneesses, that have gone on before." came to my mind.

I then got a vision that the car was going to come down right side up, wheel first. I heard a voice say "Throw up your arm, the glass is going to break." About that time the car hit, and I heard glass breaking. I threw up my arm.

Then, as the silence surrounded me I took full stock of my predicament. I KNEW the drivers side wouldn't open, so I reached over to the passenger side. Miracously it opened, and I remember climbing over the hump of the car and out the passenger side. I do not remember going up the hill. Just getting close to the top and being on the road.

I tried go flag down a car, but they didn't see me and did not stop. The second car that I did manage to flag down was a male nurse on his way to his job at a nursing home. He was helpful but didn't have a towel to wrap around my injured arm. The third car coming from the T-intersection "just happened to be" the head of the fire department/first responder team. Also the first person to respond to his call was a friend of mine who took care of my arm.

When the ambulance came, they kept asking me "What is your name? Where do you live? What is your phone number? Are you married? Do you have childfren? Was anyone in the car with you?" After answering these same questions I asked them why they kept asking them. It turned out that the steering wheel on my car was so badly bent they KNEW I must have hit it with my head or chest, and they couldn't find any chest injuries.

I told them "No, there is an angel in heaven that is badly bruised and battered right about now. He's saying, I'm never riding with her again."

The only injuries I recieved were a severely cut arm. It was cut in zig-zag layers to the nerve. It did not damage my nerve, by grace. After numerous stitches both inside and out, I was sent home to heal. I have scars, but I feel BLESSED to be alive. My car was so badly mangled that they didn't see how anyone could have survived.

I know how, Angels who are all around us, gaurding us constantly.

Still no picture capablilites.

I appreciate all the helpful comments about pics. I will try firefox and see if that works.

Thanks.

Tagged

Okay, so my writer/teacher, Marly Youmans, tagged me for a meme. 5 things no one knows about you.

1.I have a fascination with Mexican culture. I particularly have become interested in the Mexican idea of the duality of life and death, and the "Days of the Dead" Celebration. I am currently finishing a skeleton sculpture and a Frida Kahlo type self portrait.

2. I hate Macaroni and Cheese and Stewed tomatoes. Both a sin I think for a midwestern transplanted soul in the South. I do like raw vegetables on occasion, but my favorites are starches. Bread, pasta, potatoes. My daughter and grandaughter have unfortunately inherited this tendency. I do eat most things however, and have eaten rattlesnake at a wild foods weekend.

3. I collect angels. I had an accident nine years ago, where I believe I met with angels. Maybe that should be a post. I also collect Asian type artifacts. Buddha's, Hindu gods-Pavarti, and Ganesh. Along with other religious things such as Gaudelauppe from Mexico, Christian crosses with and without Jesus on them.

4. I have been on a free-flight baloon ride. I saved money up from working with the Census as a part-time job, (last census), and took my then 76 year old mama with me. We flew over Statesville, NC and had a wonderful time. It was something we both had wanted to do. I didn't know that had been one of mama's dreams until a few months before, so I decided that we both needed to go with that. It made me want to learn to pilot a balloon all the more. If only I could win the lottery.

5. I have enough poor white trash left in me to like the large blow up stuff from Wal-Mart, and would if my more cultured husband didn't nix it, put up one of those blow up snow domes with the Santa, snowman and reindeer on my front lawn. I also love smaller snow domes, and collect them.

Well, that's it for now. Maybe another post later.

Posting Pics

Okay, so I was able to post a couple of pictures before when I upgraded to Safari.

NOW Blogger will not let me upload any pics. I choose one and it says Loading pics, but only a ? mark appears. Anyone out there in blogland have a suggestion? I am running a MAC PowerBook G4 with the latest Safari for a broser. HELP PLEASE!!!

Donna

Art in Motion

I went last night to the most fascinating abstract art opening that I have seen in some time. Our little gallery here in town held an opening for Patricia Wallace's mixed media paintings. She calls them "collages" and some of them have things other than paint mixed in, for example-words, but for the most part they are mixed media paintings. I particularly loved the one she has done that is just paint on paper, two circles, one small and one large, that are brilliant red. The "background that is infringing on the circles is crimson mixed with black or brown. There is a white bar at the bottom. It is somewhat reminiscent of Kandinsky, and yet not. It is something apart, that looks as if it belongs in a museum in New York rather than at our little gallery in our small town.

There were other great abstracts as well, and I found myself wanting even more to move in an abstract direction. I have been feeling this way for about a year now, after taking a painting workshop last summer. It doesn't help that I have watched the movie Pollack twice in the past two weeks. That Ed Harris started painting and worked at painting for several years for this role is amazing. He truly moves like Jackson Pollack. Both he and the woman who plays Lee Krasner truly seem to be channeling their characters.

For a while I turned my back on abstract art. It seemed to be the onlly thing that was talked about/done in art school, and I felt that most of it had been done already, mostly the greats had done it all before I was even a twinkle in anyone's eye. And I felt that the 20th century photorealism movement was on the right track. But now, I am thinking what is the point? If you want a photo, grab a camera. I am looking to incoroprate passion back into art, and the abstract artists at least seem to convey that fire and passion. I still love some of the "lovely to look at" artists as well, I just admire the drive and energy of the abstract artists.

Another interesting thing about the opening, was that this lady is in her 70's. The last two abstract artists that our gallery has shown have been women in their 70's. It is wonderfull to me, to think about being able to create well into one's twilight years. Both of these women are intelligent, passionate, experienced women that create a firm sense of ability, passion, and class.

I wish I had some of their work to post, but I have checked the internet and find that neither has a website. Instead I am posting an abstract that I found and love from the following site. http://community.livejournal.com/abstract_art/

The Palace stays put

Okay,


Due to a system upgrade I can now upload pictures to blogger, but I now have to get my artwork digitized somehow to be able to upload to blogger. But, the palace stays put. And, stay tuned for artwork to come.

Baby Lucas Carter-Dale Mayhew

Baby Lucas,

Newborn with mom Corrie. Born June 11, 2006 10:05 am. He joins mommy, daddy, and "big" sister Kaley who is 18 months old.

Palace Moving

I may be moving the palace, as I cannot post pictures at home because I run a Mac laptop. I can do it here at school, but want to do most of my blogging from home. So I am currently looking for a space that supports Mac better. I'll let anyone interested know if I move.

Tea Pots

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."
William Gladstone

"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today my husband and I went antiquing again. This time I found a wonderful Chinese Tea Pot with four cups. I love tea pots and tea of mostly any type. I have several tea pots, the most unusual is one that is in the shape of a dragon with a turtle on it's back. It is called "Mother and Child", and has been one of my favorites. My new one is lovely too.

I shall have to brew some tea in it. If you get a chance come on by for a spot of tea.

The Royal Child revisited and The palace gardenr speaks

Another go at the poem " The Royal Child

The Royal Child

Her name was whispered in the halls, as slowly she walked by
And so she wondered what it was, that caused the sound so shy.
What had she done, just who was she that they made such a fuss?
She was a pleasant child she thought and not a gloomy guss.

Was it the time that Robert came and pulled her by the hair?
She didn’t holler, no not she, but calmly she did bear
Then she took him by the arm, threw him soundly on the ground
And gave him a good pound.

Or maybe it’s the time she took,a llizard from the rocky wall.
And placed it on her tutor’s chair which caused the teacher then to bawl.
The teacher cried and cried and ran
Then no one came to tutor Ann.

At any rate she walked the hall, the royal hall at home.
And when she walked she didn’t care,
what they thought when they did stare
Cause she was left alone.

******************************************************

Let me tell you I don't know what the queen was thinking when she bought this place. "Looks pretty in the trees." Indeed. Does she have to rake the endless leaves that fall from the "pretty trees"? I think not. Do you know HOW many bags of leaves I took to the woods in back of the palace. I lost count at about 20.

And, you know what? I can't even get a proper garden started for the blasted roots from the "pretty trees". Just goes to show you, queens should not be allowed to buy palaces based on looks alone. But then, they never consult me, I'm just the palace gardener.

Don't know

I feel like I need to write, need to post, but just don't know what to say. So much time and energy goes into teaching, and family. I get to the point I feel like I am all bottled up. I also feel like I am just at a creative block again. Probably because I am again not getting a lot of rest. I think I logged 6 hours of sleep last night, then I went to teach this morning.

I went to a Linda Rief workshop on Monday and learned some new teaching techniques. Because of this my 3rd period class had a wonderful discussion about the poem "The Wreck of the Hesperus." I felt like we had the best class time we have had in a while.

So, maybe I will write some more tonight, or maybe this weekend. Just wanted to say hi to friends in Cyberspace.

Blooming

Everywhere here flowers are in bloom. It is no longer dark when I set out for school in the morning and the drive is spectacular.

Main street in town is filled with tulips, yellow and white, showing themselves off in their owners yards. A canopy of blooming white trees greets my drive down the street. Their branches touch overhead. I love to drive this street. Forsythia, planted in rows beside some of the houses, grow untamed in their golden splendor. I want to do a pastel painting of them. It puts me in a happy mood to just go to work.

Spring is wonderful. I tried to post a picture of some of my artwork, but it didn't work, I shall have to work on that.

In other news I have applied for a new job. The official titile is "performing arts coordinator." It would entail creating the calendar for our school system's performing arts center, and doing the advertising/media releases for shows. I would love this. My current teaching situation is so stressful. I "might" get a call next week for an interview.

The Royal Child

Her name was whispered in the halls,
As she walked slowly by.
And so she wondered what it was,
That caused the sound so shy.

What had she done, just who was she
To hearken such a fuss.
‘Twas it the morn upon the hill, when she would pick the daffodil?
That caused such gloomy guss .

Or maybe twas when Robert came.
And pulled her by the hair.
She didn’t holler, no not she.
But calmly she did bare.

And then she took him by the arm.
Whilst throwing him upon the ground.
While grownups looked on askance .
And stood about them round.

Or maybe twas the time she took.
A lizard from the rocky wall.
And placed on her tutor’s chair.
Which caused her teacher thus to bawl.

At any rate she walked the hall.
The royal hall at home.
And when she walked she didn’t care, what others thought when they did stare.
For she was left alone.


This does need work, but I am too tired tonight to work on it.

Reborn

Reborn.

It’s been raining in my soul for weeks,
For I have been “under the weather.”
It started slowly at first.
Small drops filtering down until,
I no longer could stand.
Then the storms appeared,
Full of lightning pain,
And I feared I would not make it through,
The stormy night.

Eventually,
The storm cleared,
And to my amazement,
Small flowers of hope are appearing.
Like the small velvet purple violets that are blooming,
In my backyard.
I want to run,
Play,
Write,
Draw,
And live again,
Reborn.

Alive again

I am SOOOO much better. I was at the Dr. again this past week. He is sending me to specialist, but gave me the best anti-biotic.

The writing test wast today. HOOORAY IT IS OVER!!!

I feel like a three-thousand pound weight has lifted. I want to laugh, to dance, to write poetry, and stories again.

Hopefully more of that soon here.

Better

After a third visit in as many weeks to my Dr. I am finally begining to feel a bit better. Two infections, and the flu left me in an awful state this month. So far my pharmacy bill alone has been $150.00 this month, heaven knows what I will owe the Dr. after the insurance is done with their part. BUT Tama-Flu works, and I am now on the mend.

Honestly thought this weekend that I might be on my way out.

The upside of all of this is that I took today off to get better and I am taking tomorrow off to rest as well. I rarely, if ever take time to get well, which is proably why I was sick for a month.

So, here's to health and taking care of ourselves.

The snow fell wiping everything clean.

The snow fell wiping everything clean. When I looked out my bathroom window last night the snow had fallen in my woods, dusting my woods with soft white glitter. I raced back to bed, and snuggled under the covers and felt warm and content. I fell into the deepest slumber, and dreamed of snow, of whiteness covering everything. Wherever the snow fell, it was not cold, but warm, and instantly everything around was covered and wiped clean. The snow fell, not only outside, but inside, in my bedroom. Everywhere I looked was white, good, pure clean. My dresser was white, the knobs were white, my bed was white, and I was covered in a white down blanket of snow. Joyful at this newness and cleanliness, in my dream I jumped out of my bed, but as soon as my feet landed on the floor the snow scattered and everything was the way it always is. The antique dresser was again brown and the hardwood floors brown. The snow began to evaporate, and I was left in my room, weeping, wanting the clean new start of the fresh snow. I must have awakened a bit then, because I remember feeling miffed that I can’t seem to get a fresh start, but too tired to comprehend anything, I drifted back off to sleep, chasing the eternal snow.

Baby news/Children news

Although being laid low by the flu since Friday, I have some good news to share. Lucas Carter Mayhew will make his way into the world sometime around July 1, 2006. He will be joining big sister Kaley Brinn Mayhew and his mommy Corrie, and daddy Shannon, in their new house.

That's right folks, It's a boy. Corrie and Shannon found out Tue. that the baby is a boy. They will be closing on their house on Mar. 1 and moving in then. I am so happy for them all the way around. Corrie has had a couple more migraines but all in all is doing well with the pregnancy.

Daughter Laura is sick again, but has a wonderful husband to help her. I went over a couple of weekends ago and they gave me the loveliest birthday celebration that I have had in some time. It really was a great day/weekend.

Son Paul is still in the Air Force in Utah, battling blizzards and working in the Haz-Mat department.

My family is my joy and happiness.

Another Friday.

Another Friday has come, and they are again predicting nasty weather for the sunny south. I awoke this morning feeling worse, even though I am on macrobid. If this does not quit, I shall be back at the Dr. again. As soon as I post this, I am headed home for the comfort of my bed, with all of my 7th grade essays in tow. I will work some on them, we have Monday off, but tomorrow is reserved for sleeping late and creating. I will post anything I write.

Until then,
B.Q.

A poem from the bard for Valentines Day,

Happy Valentines day to all.

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Wow I did it!!!

Wow, I did it!!! I now have a home on blogspot.

More later,
Donna