Rediscovering Youth

There was this great moment in M's room when she and my mom started painting together. I've posted before about how we do this with miss M but my mom stepped in to the experience uninhibited by any notion of what was to happen. 


It was strange and delightful for me to watch them together. Delightful because I knew miss M loves to paint with people and because I know how relaxing and fun it is to participate in this exercise. Strange because I don't think I've ever seen my mom paint before. As a kid, she liked to fore go any of her artistic tendencies and default talent to my dad. Though she is creative, she is more well-known for her coined phrase, "you do nice work;" as she hovered over one of us kids doing the most mundane task, such as creating a garage sale sign (as a mom now I understand and appreciate the support). 


In any case, I watched her thinking she would never have done that with me as a kid. None of it would have happened in the first place: the water colors... in the bedroom, the bare feet, the ease of the moment. I can recognize now she had a million-and-one things to do: pick-up/drop-off, clean, prepare dinner, etc. and it would have been hard to slow down with six kids int he mix. She also didn't have exercise and yoga to help her find her breath and slow down in those moments (though typing it now I realize she had her faith, which is probably her exercise/yoga).


Miss M was just doing her thing and having a great time as always. But I could see the sheer enjoyment on my mom's face as I watched her in the moment. She enjoyed it very much. She said she never got to do that when she was younger and followed it with, "This is why I have grandchildren, to relive my youth."

Collaborative Art



There are times when miss M asks me to come paint with her. I sit at an undersized chair and we create things on her easel. It's currently one of my most favorite activities to share with her. It's relaxing and some of our creations really inspire me.

The other night I came in to find D and her painting together for the first time. It was so cool to watch. These moments make parenting really great.


I didn't get a shot of their creation but here are some of the other pieces our gallery has been displaying this year.





The Creative Life


I finally took Miss M (and Miss A) to the Denver Art Museum. Who knew they had the coolest kids play area and toddler time every second Sunday of the month. We will surely be back. I loved being downtown and feeling urban again. M loved the art, loved the play, loved the bubbles. My heart swooned that she had such a great time - and we barely looked at any art.

In the Land of Honey and Nectar (aka Green Chili and Enchiladas)

D pushed for a weekend getaway to Taos. It was really what I needed: a change of pace and a little New Mexico in my life. Nothing like a different environment and new energy to gain some perspective. We left early Friday and visited friends in the Springs before setting out on the five hour drive south. It was seamless with Miss M napping and then using her new dvr player from Grammy Maillet. Once in town, we immediately stopped at the Dragonfly Cafe for an early dinner (one of my favorite Taos spots thanks to Julie and her always spot on recommendations).

It was here, I got to catch a moment like this...

and daydream about the possibilities of these sweet delights
(this is also the spot where Miss M would use her booty to nudge a stranger 
out of the way so she too could daydream about what belonged in her belly).

Traveling always inspires gratitude. 
This was the reminder I had at breakfast on my birthday.

I was happy enough to just be in Taos; but the subtle expectations of a birthday and the pressure from a husband just wanting me to have a good day was more than I could handle. My sweetheart had such a sweet heart for me that Saturday. Truth be told, I'm not much of a birthday person when it comes to myself. Still I managed to find moments like this:


Thankfully he was still there with our love set in stone when I returned to my senses.


 Sunday brought so many great moments...
like this, at my favorite spot with a meal I daydreamed about while planning the trip.
We met an artist with the best energy and coolest gallery. 
She let Miss M (highly intoxicated by a lollipop) play a drum in her music room, 
which helped us all out and we bought one of her paintings.

Sunday we had breakfast at the B&B, walked more shops and looked at art and bought some stuff. Miss M had a stellar nap, and so did we. I found a new dinner spot, Antonio's (after lamenting Love Apple not being open - next time). It was absolutely 100% delicious and left me feeling like we had achieved our food goals for the trip. 


It was a fine end to a day that left me wondering what to pick when I asked D what his favorite part of the day was. We both agreed in our silent contemplation that there were so many good things that happened that day. We went to sleep with the flames from the fireplace dancing in the dark.

And then we woke up and headed home.

Wedding Gift


As a wedding gift, Julie said she would paint us a piece from some of her stellar photography she took in Sayulita. That was three years ago but who is counting. In fact, I kind of forgot about the project until a few weeks ago when she told me it was done. I have no idea how she managed to fit it in with her regular work, her designs for Lassen Ale Works, and her uber-cool social life. She did though, which is one of those things I love about Julie. And I knew it would be an awesome piece of art for us to enjoy. 

She "unveiled" it at her house last week at an art night. I love every bit of it. It is a combo of these two photos:



She also incorporated the photo transfer technique of the banana leaf using a gel medium (as exampled in this video, which I did NOT watch in preparation for art night). I am kicking myself that I didn't take her scratch pieces and look at her photos of the process. Perhaps she will do an entry on the D'Podge blog - ahem, hint, hint). In any case, I managed to snap horribly lit and badly angled photos of the piece, which we still haven't hung since we can't find the right place. But I was dying to get a post up on the blog to celebrate the art...and friendship...in my life. 

Swinger Art Night


D was happy to get the Swinger all dolled up for an art night with the ladies. He didn't even mind being the only guy in the group (who am I kidding, that guy never turns down a chance to be the only guy surrounded by ladies). He kept telling me I had to "prepare" more for the evening but I kept telling him, these ladies and art nights in general don't warrant an obscene amount of planning. They are more free and easy than that; things just unfold and, personally, that's why I like it so much.

In any case his little seed was planted firmly in my head and I did end up searching for some cool gallery event that night to head to because part of the delight of the Swinger is feeling like you are on parade while driving down the street. It's like having your own personal city bus to yourself...and you could be making something in an oven while you roll. I didn't find anything cool to do so we settled for City Park and the sweet relaxation of just hanging out in a motor home. Julie walked us through her branding work for Lassen Ale Works at the Pioneer Saloon, a new venture in Susanville, CA. It was fun to review/brainstorm about her ideas for beer labels, coasters, and the logo itself. She really has been working her tail off on some cool designs (as always). I can't wait to see it all in play with a cold beer in hand!