Mommy stuff

Good morning!

I hope all is well in your world.

As I sit here in my quiet house, it allows my mind to wonder.

Aren't we lucky?  We have families and friends.

We have warm (or cool) homes and food to eat.

Life continues on.  

It is quiet here.  

I have a wonderful window to look out of 

with a view of the rain 

as it gently falls.  

I am so blessed.

I attended the meeting for the Art Works Co-op Gallery last night.  

We have so many things coming up for the community. 

Keep an eye out here to see what we have coming up. 

It is an exciting time to be in this co-op.  

So many possibilities!  

I am setting up scheduling for classes.  

If you are in the Kokomo, IN area 

and 

would like painting lessons, 

let me know. 

Or 

you can contact the gallery at

765-459-4579.

As I said yesterday, I am needing 

to get my business feet back under me, 

so I am working on advertising 

and posting pictures of inventory 

that I have on hand.  

This is a hard thing for me, because I am an artist

and 

not an especially business minded person. 

(I am a Pinterest junkie.  

If you see my stuff on there, would you re-pin for me?  

I would love to use this medium to spread word of my work.)

If you haven't heard ...

artists tend to be rather odd.

Yup.  That sums me up.

           Hey, mommy.  Who's that?         16 X 20   

And this is an adventure.  

Right?

   

I just love mules.  This painting is called Apple Chunks.
 As with most of my work, it can be on note cards also. 

I had expected that I was going to set up a new painting this morning.  

That did not happen.  

I had a call and it was off to the hospital to check on a situation.  

While I was there, I looked in on my friend Michael. 

He is improving.  He may get to come home.

I drove home and made some lunch, 

did some dishes 

& 

cleaned out the van.

You know, mommy stuff.

So, here it is, almost 4pm and I have not started a painting yet.

Am I putting it off?

Maybe.

BUT...I did find the battery charger for the camera in the van.

It's been missing for a couple of days.

(not unlike Benny Cat)

Cows are wonderful creatures.
Passive, giving AND they give us milk.  
This is a 16 X 12 oil that can also be obtained on note cards. 

WHY

am I putting painting off, 

you might ask?

Fear of the unknown?

Possibly.

Once I get started, I am ok, it "flows".

I think it really be a fear of whether "I still have it"

or if the gift has flown away in the night.

Lack of confidence?

Maybe.

Or maybe....I am just an artist.

                                  An odd one....

                                               On an adventure....

See you tomorrow

Sherry

One lump or two, dinosaur?

Almost done.  

Hello, welcome back to my blog.

I hope you are well today.  

I am back in the painting trenches.

I have nearly finished that poor goat that I started oh....

in the beginning of August.  I have a little more work to do 

to bring him to a conclusion.  

I painted this guy on a piece of wood.  He needs a his ear finished.
I love how soft their noses are.
If you have been around horses and mules, you know what I mean.
It's like touching velvet.

I am trying to get my "business feet" back under me.  I have decided to go ahead and teach classes through the Artworks Gallery, here in Kokomo.  

I think it will be fun. 

It will be an adventure.

Yeah, that's what we will call it.

An adventure.

I made this little sign before I showed at the Bluegrass Festival.  I remember those days when my kids were little and I had the creative bug.  

This is Benny cat.

He came to live with us a few weeks ago.  

As of yesterday afternoon, he is missing. 

My mother heart hopes that he is someplace safe where he has food.  

Best of luck to you Ben.  

Come home, ok?

So, I am sure that you a wondering about this picture.  

My favorite three year old is playing with the newest toys on the block.  

Mary & I bought a box of dinosaurs at a yard sale.  

After a trip through the dish washer 

(because we don't have a dino washer (duhhhhhh), 

they are playable. 

As you can see

They love to wear sweaters and drink tea.

Grandma, on the other hand, likes Starbucks.

Have a good day, folks.

PS:  Benny came home about 1:30 this afternoon.  

He was beat-up, but happy to be home.  

Welcome home, Ben.  

Welcome home.

Growing up

It has been a rough summer for me.

I know that I have it a lot better than a lot of people, 

but I can honestly say that the last 3 months have been a struggle.

To the folks who read my blogs everyday or every other day, 
I apologize for letting you down. 

AND

if I have offended anyone with my writing, I am sorry.

I try to write what is on my heart.  I do not intend to use this blog as a weapon of any kind.

A lot of things have happened this summer.

Bill & Gladys Flynn

I watched my best friend in the whole world walk through the experience of her father having cancer and then passing away.  

Betty Smith and some of her grandchildren

I also watched the Scott Smith family struggle with the death of his mother, Betty Smith.  

  

After multiple trips to different doctors, 
my concerns about my husband's health have finally quieted.
Thank you GOD.

My 72 year old father fell & broke several ribs this summer.  I was terrified that I too would loose my parent.  I am just not ready for that.  I know, we are never ready for that.  Here I am at 51, just not ready to grow up.  Those people who are constants in my life, how would I live without them?  How could I be me...without them to make me who I am?

Through all of this, my ability to create has "taken a hit".  A conversation with an acquaintance yesterday helped me to think that through.  He said that I need to paint in the bad times too, that it would be a release of my feelings.  He challenged me to let that work be what it was, to let those feelings out.  

There have been good things happen this summer, too.  
I had a wonderful visit with my niece Brittni.  She & Mary have been like sisters from the very beginning.  

My favorite three year old eating ice cream with Brittni & her son Dorian. 

I enjoyed my visits with Brandon & his son this summer.

Brandon & Kaiden

Mark Roberts came home from Florida for a visit. I love him like a brother. 

Here is the gang.  Mark is second row down third from the left.  I am in the fifth row down third spot in (with the crazy permed hair and the clown bow) (obviously my mother hated me :) from the left.  Annie & Ronnie are here too, so is Danny.  Given enough time I am sure that I could name most of them.

It was so nice to see him.  

I got to spend time with my folks at the Winding Creek Blue Grass Festival.     

Thank you for listening to me ramble today.  
I will be writing with more regularity from now on.  

I have to go, now.  
Al has a list of things for me to accomplish today and I need to get on it.

Work, work, work. 

Growing up is hard.
Growing old is harder.

Bill & Betty, I will miss you.  
We all will.   

Half a goat is better than none.

Beginning of a painting.  

Hello again.

Hope everyone's summer is going well.  

Life here at Sherrill Studios is starting to gear up again.

I have spent the last few weeks worrying about some things that made it impossible for me to paint.  Sometimes it happens that way.  I hit those places in my brain that make it impossible to paint.  

But, I seem to be letting up on the concerns and

painting is coming a little easier.  
Yesterday, I started the day out with this lovely goat.
I know that he has some issues, but I think he has possibilities.
So...half a goat...

************  

If you remember, in the last blog I pointed out that we needed to make memories with and for our family & friends.
I had that opportunity come up for me in this last week.
I had it in spades.

***********

A very, very long time ago....
in a land far, far away....
I went to high school with (along with a few other hundred people) Scott Smith & LaRhonda Davis.  They married soon after Wayne & I did and started having children right off the bat.
Wayne and I...not so much.  We had to wait a while.

I learned so much from watching them parent.
Things that I stored up for when I had a child.
We lived on the north end of the state and they lived in Kokomo,
but we socialized when we came to visit.
We played cards and hung out.
Had a great time.
Brandon was born and it was just the best.
I became his self proclaimed GODmother.

Fast forward...10 years or so.
We each had two kids and all the problems & joys that come with them.
I was still learning parenting skills from watching the Smiths.
Their children were older than ours, so they met & conquered situations that I would have to deal with later.

Fast forward again...
As sometimes happens (happened to me...) the Smiths ended their relationship with a divorce.  Their boys have grown up to be fine young men with families of their own.  I am proud of them both.

This last weekend Brandon, Scott & Brandon's son Kaiden
came to visit from the southern states.
Scott's mother is ill & they came to see her in the.  
I couldn't wait to see Brandon & meet his son.

Kaiden and his dad shooting us in the pool.
He wouldn't get in.  He said it was too deep.

     

I invited them over for pool time and to meet Leia.
Leia & Kaiden are only a month apart, so we thought they would hit it off.
And they did.
  We had one of Leia's favorite meals, hot dogs, cheesy poofs & chocolate milk after we got out of the pool.

He drank TWO glasses of chocolate milk.

He looks just like his dad did when he was little...

I enjoyed this visit SO MUCH.
During the time that they were here
I was able to take some three generation photos.
Again, Scott & Ronnie gave me a glimpse into what I hope will be my future.
What did I see?
I saw a comfort level that I have not yet achieved.
I saw two divorced adults treating each other with respect & dignity.
Not because they had to, but because that is what you do for your kids.
They gave me hope.

Brandon, Kainden & Scott Smith
Three Generations

Brandon, Kaiden & Ronnie
Three generations

 What a wonderful visit.
Family, in the end, is everything, isn't it?
That is what makes us strong, individually & as part of a group.  
It's where we go when times are hard.
It's who we celebrate with.
It gives us our sense of self.

Thank you for reading.
I'll see you all again, soon.

Seasons of life

Cows in Hortonville

Hamilton County cloud

Driving home from Zionsville last week

Good afternoon!

Yes, it is that season, again.

I'm chasing my tail and so is Al.

I have been remiss about stopping and catching up on my blog.

So, while I wait out my last hour at the Zionsville Gallery, I thought we would catch up.

I am working at getting inventory together for several upcoming shows.  I have a bluegrass get together coming up out at Bob Auth's property in just a few short weeks.  So much to do...so much to do...

Al is up to his neck in drill writing.  He is working some long hours.  Check out Gizmo sleeping on his desk...

About 10am

Just resting...

Around noon

1:15ish   btw, that is Ian in the background...

2pm...time for Al's nap

 Isn't he great?  He generally is out all night and then comes into the A/C & sleeps through the day.  

We have had a lot of things going on here.  Mom & Dad went to the lake for a few days.  When they returned they told me that Dad had fallen by the spillway and had gotten pretty banged up.  He saw Sherri Nuss the morning that they got back.  He has some broken ribs and is in a good amount of pain.    My folks gave me the corn that they had in the garden because they had too much to handle to take the time to mess with it.  

So, Leia & I went out to pick corn on Saturday morning.  

This is interesting corn.  There is a deep burgundy color in the leaves and the tassels.

Dad wanted to help with picking the corn, but he just couldn't do it so he went back into the house to lay down.  He was not a happy camper about that.  I started picking the four rows of corn and listened to my mom & Leia talking to each other about the garden.  It was just a wonderful time.  Mom & Leia don't get to spend a lot of time together and Leia was just talking her leg off.  Mom had bought Leia a purse and she was picking veggies to carry in her purse.
It was a wonderfully blessed time to listen to a 72 year old & a 3 year old talk about life.  I nearly cried standing there in the middle of the corn rows.  I thought about the time that I spent with my grandparents in the garden & the orchard.  Life just goes on and on, doesn't it?  It's just a big roller coaster ride.

I never liked zinnias...but they were beautiful that morning.

I have been thinking about how blessed that I am having my parents, my children, my grandchildren, my husband & my friends.  
I have been reminding myself that now is the good times, not sometime in the future when everything is perfect.
Trying to live in the moment.
And recognize it for what it is.

In the garden with our "garden purse" & Great Grandma Scott.

I am fifty-one years old.  It hasn't been all sunshine & roses, but then again it hasn't been a horror movie either.  It is time to enjoy what we have and make some memories for and with the people in our lives.
So we gathered up our corn, a huge zuchinni and a cabbage and drove home with it all.
Karen Taylor is the person who got me to thinking that Leia was old enough to have a craft project.  Karen has three grand daughter and she does crafts with all of them at once.  So, I should be able to handle one three year old, right? 
Here she is working on her project 
 in the back yard.  Are you shuddering?  

Give a child in a pink shirt a paint brush full of black paint and let her go.

She only got one spot of paint on her forehead.  I lucked out, for sure.

She was so proud of her & I's work.

I drove over to her house the other day and hung it over her bed on the wall.  

It was a good experience for us both.

I forgot to mention that before we left my folk's house we went out to the barn to see the horses.  One of the fillies was down in the stall.  I opened the door to check on her and told Leia to stay in the doorway as I went in to see what was up.  The filly was obviously in pain.  She picked up her head and nickered quietly to me and then laid her head back down.   As I ran my hand over her I noticed a color out of the corner of my eye.  Leia had come into the stall and was standing next to the filly's head.  She squatted down and started talking quietly to the filly.  She petted her face and said to me."See Grandma, she won't eat me..."

(shades of the pig adventure?)

GOD, I love being a grandma...

Well, it's time for me to start closing the gallery.  I need to be closing this down.  

If you take anything away from this today, I want you to remember to live in the moment.  We need to enjoy what has been given to us.  This is not a promised thing.  Changes happen to us all.

Have a great day, my friends.

See you soon.

Tipton County

Tender morsels...

It has been an event filled Wednesday here, folks.

 As you can see, our Dropspin needed to get her hair cut.  She couldn't see out from under her hair, so we made her an appointment out at Affordable Pet Grooming in West Middleton.  
Leia heard me talking about getting Dropspin's hair done and she was excited about seeing where they did this..so...we made it a field trip.  Mary, her kids & Dropspin took a road trip to the doggie hair salon.   

Leia thought that it was hilarious that the dog was in the van with us and that she had an appointment.  

Since 31 is such a mess, we took the back roads.  I was nice to see the fields and listen to the kids talk to us and each other.   

We took the dog inside and dropped her off and the owner (Mark) said that we needed to stop out back and pet the animals in the pen.  

They told us we could feed the animals if we wanted to.  Just to "go on in".  

Now, I was raised with large animals.  This was just a few goats, a couple of ducks and some miniature pigs...no danger.  There was no foreseeable problems here.  

Liea feeding the goat a clover flower.

Asher & mommy feeding a young goat.

So, it was a good, teachable event.  I was feeling pretty good about this little trip.  Patting myself on the back for being such a good grandma.  

NOT

I invited Leia to go inside the fence with me and feed the animals from a bowl that I had filled in the barn. 

(This is the beginning of the Grandma hell part of the story)

Don't get me wrong, the goats were nice.  The ducks could have cared less that we were there.  As I started pouring food out on the platform the world just went spinning out of control....  

One of our VERY large offenders....

Mrs. offender...

The BIG pigs magically appeared and would you believe they were swirling?

Before I knew what was going on...we were out of food and the piggies were NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.  

Mary was outside the fence with Asher, and in hindsight, I am glad for that.  

These were not angry pigs, just annoyed and looking for more food pigs.  The next thing I know Leia gives a little scream.  She is standing right next to me with her arm in a pigs mouth.

OMG

I hear my dad's voice telling me that hogs are dangerous and never to turn your back on them.  

We...are standing...in a pen with ...land sharks...and my grandbaby is chum.  I poked him hard on the head, yanked Leia out of his mouth and basically pitched her over the fence towards her mother.  Honestly, I don't remember how Mary caught her...or...if Mary caught her.

Baby, I was out of there.  I mean, if Leia was a tender morsel, what was her much larger grandma gonna be?

We all lived.  Heck, Asher took a nap.

Dropspin can see now.  They did a great job.

 New grandma rule to add to the list:

Don't let the pigs chew on your grand children.

Period.