“Mount of Olives”
watercolor and cut paper collage
8” x 10”
December 2011

On a note attached to the art I wrote, “This is the third in a series of Olive Art I’ve made this fall. I Love Art. (Get it?) I Love the Lord too.”

“purple” watercolor and cut paper collage 9″ x 12″ December 2011 there is a poem by the same name from November 29, 2011 purple If I were made of purple glass I’d cast a purple shadow when the sun shone on me just right

“Joy”
watercolor and cut paper collage
December 2011
18” x 24”

Two things you can count on, when you are in a hurry and running late…pouring rain and being’ stopped by a train. So, I wore my polka dot rain boots and slowed down to enjoy the journey.

I traded last night’s mug of herbal decaf tea for a mug o’ coffee this morning. Still waiting for The Jolt Of It to hit my sleepy system. I’m just on the second mug now…maybe third mug is the charm. I even made it A Little Strong (on accident). Morning, All! ~ Janean

Staying up late, making art for a one day show on Wednesday. As in, The Day After Tomorrow, on December 14, 2011. My silly striped socks make me grin every time I catch a glimpse of them. ~ Janean

Dear Old Reliable,
We are so glad you are once again in charge of turning our buttercrust wheat bread into toast of a morning.
There will be a lot less cussing, growling and stomping about with you back on the counter.
Where you belong.
Yes, I got the message.
Loud and clear.
You may be going’ on fifteen, but you still “got it”.
Even if you aren’t as curvaceous and chromey as my attempt at replacement.
Please forgive me.
I was an idiot.
You are a charming wedding gift and I won’t banish you again…or loan you to my mother.
Please keep up the good work.
Today’s toast was lovely.
Sincerely,
The Lady of the House

I banished the new(er) toaster today.
It’s been a long time in coming.
You saw the charred black toast from Saturday.
On Sunday, this temperamental toaster burned all four slices of bread placed within the glowing coils.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr
Time is up.
That was your last chance…for now.
You are awesome at bagels.
We’ll get you down from the cabinet above the refrigerator, never never land, for toasting them.
Goodbye for now.
Consider yourself banished.

P.S. Nothing like an open kitchen window, on a brisk December morning, to get the smoke and smell of charred black toast out of the house ASAP in the morning.

Burned the damn toast.
Not the first time.
My oldest son saw the smoke…before we smelled the burning bread.
One smoke alarm went off.
Then the other.
My hittin’ it with the broom didn’t help.
Except for comic effect.
Did I mention we have someplace to be?
Figures.
As he drank the first cuppa coffee from the new maker, my husband drolly comments, “Maybe we should have gotten a new toaster?”
“It’ll be fine”, I reply.
Adding, “This hasn’t happened in awhile.”
In other news, The Coffee Is Good.