Friday nite pizza before addition of heat!

Thank you Beth.

Who are you voting for?

People often "know" our home by the figures on the porch, in the windows, and on the front door. I guess now they'll know who we want for president too. A couple of young people delivered our Obama yard signs on Sunday afternoon. We got them up immediately! Hidden in the old milk box by the door - just to the right of the Eve figure in the picture - are some handmade wooden Obama campaign pins. Leave $20 for each one you take, and we'll send all of it to the campaign!

Be sure to vote! We really don't care which party or which candidate you support - though we'd love the chance to discuss the possibilities. It is very exciting that both parties are discussing the issues, and making choices. For the first time in a long time, there are real decisions being made on both sides of the fence, and there may even be some holes in the fence, which is a very good thing!

Progess

Another sort of grey day, but here are 2 of the 4 completed wind generators, and there are about 10 other bases up along the ridge of the hill off to the left - patiently awaiting their blades. A total of 50 wind turbines are planned for this area to be installed by this fall. If you question my "nature in the back yard" tag on this one, these 50 wind turbines will help save a lot of nature for the coming generations!

Wyatt and Maeve and I had a great day Saturday. We went to Naples for lunch, and Maeve drove home. She is really getting quite good at this driving thing!

And for those keeping track -- my PSA is officially ZERO.

In case you thought things haven't changed much

You will want to click the above image to get a readable size. I was 9 years old when this was published..... a lot has happened in 52 years! Hillary isn't my first choice for president, but you can be sure I think it is really cool that she is running! And her chief rival is a black man! John Edwards expressed astonishment in the Democratic debate last nite that as a southern white male, he is the odd one! ;-)

Maya's first art show!

Maya showed up for her first art show, and grandma - who usually spends every minute of such events talking to everyone in sight - just stopped and held Maya! Everyone had to enjoy the art show alone for a long time!

Generations Art Show again

Generations II

2008

Once again, we bring you wonderful art from amazing Rochester Artists of Color- younger and older.

May we all continue to remember and honor the past.

May we all live fully, clearly, and appreciatively in the present.

May we all look with hope, “eyes wide open” to the future and thepromise of these young people and future generations.

Don and I personally dedicate this year to our first grandchild,Maya Louise Sams.

Born July 19, 2007

The 5th generation on my father’s side born since slavery,

or as written in her great, great grandmother’s Bible,“since freedom.”

To Maya and to all young people of color, we echo what her parents have written on the wall above her crib.

“Dream Big, Little One”

The spirit of Sankofa lights the way.

Cheryl and Don Olney

We express much gratitude to the participating artistsand to those who helped with the “on the ground” work of making the show happen:Jean Pope Boyle and the Valley Manor/Seniors First StaffFrancine Conwell, Krystal Thombs, Faruk Kaiyum, Michelle Cardulla (Museum of Kids Art)and Sharon Turner (Community Darkroom)

If you are in the Rochester, NY area, visit the 1570 Gallery at Valley Manor - 1570 East Ave, Rochester, NY --- now through February 28th

Winter Blossoms

Searching the web for "Mother of Thousands" will give you lots of information about this unique plant. I have had mine since I was a kid. As a science nerd kind of kid, the fact that every leaf of this plant produced tiny plants complete with roots that drop off and grow pretty much anywhere was just plain wonderful. A couple of years ago, one of mine blossomed! Not sure why in probably 50 years, none of mine had blossomed, but it was very exciting. Turns out these blossoms do not produce seeds. However a plant that, like the christmas cactus, blossoms in the heart of winter, is truly a joy. Most of mine are direct clones from that original from childhood, but I also have a new variety that I got from a friend a couple of years ago. If you would like a few of the little plantlets to try, just let me know.

And, just arrived in the mail ---- about 25 seeds to try my hand at growing some sensitive plants ----- the leaves fold up rapidly when touched. Another childhood plant memory!

New Idea

Don't know if this concept will become part of the line, but it is very exciting to have created a new piece! My mind has been doing all sorts of other things for the past couple of months, so creating the above piece over the past couple of days has been wonderful. I think she needs some work, and with Cheryl at the Atlanta Gift Show, our usual suggestion/argument process will have to wait a few days, but hopefully a new type of piece may arise. We've been thinking about people relating to furniture for a while........ so......... who knows?

Getting tired of this.

Another sign that life continues! This Gerber Daisy in our kitchen window has sort of risen from the dead. After the frost, I brought in this flower I got for Cheryl last spring and put in the kitchen window. The leaves looked pretty dead, but I brought it inside anyway. About 5 leaves seemed to revive a bit over the coming weeks, and like the sentimentalist I am, I kept watering it. A few new leaves rewarded my effort, and then, about the time I came home from the hospital I noticed a tiny flower bud emerging from the dirt. Above is that flower today.

I haven't written much recently, and pretty much no pictures either. Recovery for older folks is quite a bit slower it seems. Hours of watching I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, MASH, and history channel stuff is surprisingly interesting, but pretty much uninspiring! I've gone to work a few times, but seem to only last for a maximum of 3 hours or so. A few good ideas seem to pop up here and there, but the energy to follow-up seems quite limited. Cheryl and Lisa have gone off to Atlanta for a show, and I'm home alone ---- another source of lack of inspiration?

Anyway, the doctor says my pace of recovery is not unusual --- I think they forgot to tell me that in advance? I continue to be very pleased to wake up everyday, and I'm trying to remind myself that all this time sitting around is a lot better than not being here to sit around. Each day definitely seems a bit better, and I'm looking forward to making more stuff, making more friends, taking care of all the old friends, and growing older with Cheryl!

Hug everyone you love soon, and maybe even hug a couple of strangers?