Started Gettin Silly By A Hollow Log...

I have found many a creature in our yard, and at times in our house over the years. The typical, common yard animals such as raccoons, rabbits, deer. Now and then, hawks, bald eagles. Salmon, coyotes, and several families of bears. Elk and moose with wild chickens called grouse.  A couple of seals, a pod of small whales wading near  by.

Today however I found something I have never found before. Either in our yard or in our house, except for Baseball, the one we have as a pet. But this was the first time they showed up on their own.

Frogs!

Little, tiny, frogs.

No more than an inch long when sitting. I caught the little one that was inside the screen. I set it free, and it immediately found a little friend. His buddy that waited up until it returned from a night of wild froggy debauchery.

Now he's out telling all of his froggy friends about the time he came face to face with the monstrous hairy beast, Catasourous!  It. Was. Awesome!

Anywho...

Welcome Frogs, to our pitstop for wandering animals. Enjoy.

New Toes...

I forgot to post this last week when I was ranting about the JCrew fiasco.

L'OREAL Au Currant Perle. It's my second favorite color, when I'm not using Glow In The Dark.

Be Who you are. Proudly!

Story Time...

It has been brought to my attention that my posting has slowed. Thank you Christine, I'm alright.

So to speak.

Let me share a story.

A piece of paper is relatively strong and equally as fragile. It can be used over and over if it's cared for. Use a soft pencil to write and it can be erased and written on again and again before it wears out. You can fill the paper with everything important.

The paper can be used for a variety of other things besides writing and drawing, such as wrapping for other objects. It can be wadded up and used for padding or filler. You can fold it to make shapes or objects. Of course if you wad or fold, the paper will never fully recover. The wrinkles and folds will always be a part of the paper from that point on. Some will fade over time, but they're still there.

Some times the paper gets torn. You can leave the tear and work around it. You can continue the tear until you have two pieces of paper. You can tape it back together.

If you tape the paper, it can be stronger and last longer than the original paper. Of course it will never be the same. You will have to use something a little more permanent it you want to write over the tape and you might never get the writing or tape off again.

At times there are many other people that all want a piece of your paper. They get grabby and pieces of your paper might get torn off. Sometimes, you can get those pieces back. Other times, they will be lost forever. Your paper will never be quite whole again.

You can even burn your paper to provide heat or light. All be it fleeting as your paper will burn and disappear quickly. You can even use to ash to draw decorate or even fertilize or compost.

Functional but not the best use of your paper.

The only way to keep the paper safe is to file it away someplace where it will never be used. No writing drawing folding wadding ripping tearing taping losing fading ever.

Safe.

But then you have taken away every thing the paper was supposed to be. It will never see it's potential. Never see joy sorrow pain pleasure love hate ugly beauty ever.

Sad.

If you can remember what's important, and care for your paper, be firmly gentle, your paper will bring years of pleasure and fond memories until it's recycled and used again or returned to the earth to feed a future piece of paper.

Unless it's just dumped in the trash and wasted.

A Smile Reserved For Her...

There are days when things are discombobulated. The mind has removed itself from the full body network, in order to wander semi-aimlessly. The body automatically turns on auto pilot. You do the things that need to be done. Without thinking about it.

Makes me wonder what may have actually been said to the people he came in contact with. I know the mouth was talking and the body was doing things. The mind, was in another hemisphere, checking in on reality only when absolutely necessary...

They're spending their first day together. Meeting at a small tea house. Sitting to watch the rain fall but never taking their eyes from the other. There is no memory of the conversation. Most likely small talk. Love was in the air. Little electric discharges could be seen each time they touched. The sun shown on them alone. Birds followed with song.

Puddles were jumped in. Hands were held and lips were kissed. Poems read by candle light and incense. A vase of flowers spilled down the back of the TV. Cowboy boots worn inappropriately. Mongolian BBQ, ravenous and disheveled. Blissfully unaware.

Each time the story changes just a bit, but stays the same. Two people so lost in one another, the rest of the world becomes a blur of motion and muted sounds.

I've heard the story so many times, each time as if it's new. A smile crosses his face. A smile unlike any other. It's reserved for her. His eyes glaze over and he's gone again. Back to her and one of his favorite days.

The Best Of Low Brow...

Last week I went to an art opening at Yummy wine bar and bistro. Yummy is new to the area. It opened about two months ago. We have been there about a half a dozen time already. This area was so lacking anything like this before. This place is something you see in places like southern California, Soho, places with...oh, how do I put this?...With taste. Needless to say we were surprised when it opened here.

The owner, Corey, did a fantastic job putting this place together. It makes you feel at home. Corey says it is, "...a magnet for the grooviest people in town. Lively and smart, it hits the right note with artfully prepared dishes, luscious flavored wines, and for your purchase we display eye candy low brow art to challenge your imagination."

I love that. Although there are maybe 20 people in this area that even know what groovy means.

The food is fantastic! It is everything this area was missing. The Duck mousse is my personal favorite on the menu. It melts in your mouth. I have it every time we go in, which has been about once a week since they opened. They have a scallop dish that is divine. The chef has out done himself. The next time I go I will grab a menu and take some note so I can give you a better review than this.

Furnished it retro 60's, 70's, lava lamps, glass fruit. It reminded me of Samantha's swinging sister Serena from Bewitched.

Anywho...The art opening was for Corey's partner, Jimmy Pickering

I instantly fell in love with his work. There is something about the kids that went to Cal Arts. You can almost always spot them. Think Tim Burton. Precious and I recognized Jimmy's work right away. He had done the illustrations for a book we just got for Mr. Man, "Sloop John B", based on the Beach Boys song of the same title.

The art is fun, futuristic, surreal and whimsical. They sort of fall into what some people are calling the "Low brow, Pop Surrealist Movement". I not in favor of labeling artists that are still alive and producing work, but hey, it's not my label.

I had almost forgotten how far out of the art world loop we are, now that we live in Oregon. This is another planet.

After talking with Jimmy about his work and exploring his website I have re-discovered a few other artists that I adore. All of these people make me feel like a complete and utter hack. As well as remind me that I need to change my web site. Their work is what I envision my Chadette portraits becoming one day.

One of Jimmy's friends, Brian Despain, along with Lori Earley, and Cassandra Barney are filling my head with ideas and inspiration. I would love to meet these people. Actually I know Jimmy and I have met Cassandra. In fact we just bought three of Cassandra's works for ourselves. I feel like a kid in a candy store. So much great work, so little money.

Check out these sites, look around. They all deserve your attention.

Blind?

There are some days when I have so much to say that I can not manage to speak a single word.

Sometimes I envy those who can talk endlessly about nothing. You can tell they don't have a single thought in their head. It would come in handy in my business. Turn the mouth on and the mind off.

There are days when my mind will not let go of an image. It is all I can see. When I close my eyes it remains. There is no hiding from it. It comes out in everything I do or say.

Other days I can't focus on anything or anyone.

My mind races faster than I can keep up with. It becomes a blur and makes me spin.
I open my mouth to scream, STOP!
But nothing comes out.

I draw or paint and all I can do is scribble, unable to hold a single vision for long enough to get it out. It all comes out at once.

It is like being lost in a crowd. Surrounded by people and miles from anyone.

*****

Markus Pierson has done it again. I can not get enough of this man's work. Someday I think the world will look at his body of works and hail him as a genius of epic proportion.

He never fails to amaze me. His grasp of the simple beauties and pleasures in life make me feel as though I am blind to the world.

It also drives me to work at my painting and writing more than almost anything else.

"Everything to Me" by Markus Pierson

"Through my spectacles I see everything, and thus I see only you, for you are everything to me."

The Farewell Tour...

I am sad today. But also excited for someone else.
To every end there is a new beginning.
I read yesterday that after TequilaCon 07, Brandon is retiring.

One Child Left Behind was one of the first blogs I started reading over a year ago. He was also one of the reasons I wanted to start this site. He gives something special to the world that wasn't there before.

With millions of blogs on line I have come across only a handful that I believe to be worthy of bandwidth. Most are lame excuses to swear and tease others or make fun of things they don't understand. Haters. No one needs more of that.

There are so few people in the world who give of themselves and add to the fabric of life. I am not always sure what Brandon is talking about and it doesn't matter. He is poetic, insightful, romantic, humorous...(I might have a man crush) He adds beauty to the world.

The selfishness in me is holding out that like others before him: The Rolling Stones, Michael Jordan, Brett Farve, that he will decide that he loves what he is doing too much to leave.

The rest of me will enjoy the time and words he gives, and look forward to meeting him in March at TequilaCon 07. Where ever your road takes you, enjoy the trip.

And, Thank you!

"THOUGH MANY HAD TRAVELED FURTHER AND DONE SO IN GREATER STYLE, IT BOTHERED ME NOT. MY JOURNEY WAS MY OWN, AND I FOUND IT TO BE QUITE SPECTACULAR"-Markus Pierson