Staying Sharp

Inquiring Minds

I've been asked how I found French beading or why I even considered the challenge of it. Of course, the saying "to each her own" comes to mind. With very few responsibilities other than laundry and occasional house cleaning (and I do mean occasional) I have completely retired from all things I do not favor. Hey, it's time.

I didn't know anything about French beading until

Summer Has Flown

Beat The Heat

Rumor has it, here in Tucson, that there are just under 40 days left to the monsoon season. Summers are an interesting adventure here, especially this past week when a weather alert brought us out of our chairs and to instantly snapping pictures of what looked like oncoming disaster. I am familiar with the crazy "lightning capital of the world" experiences of our past life in Florida but these clouds were looking atomic. Is it weird that I found myself thinking about our homeowners policy?

We live in the Sonoran desert which gets as hot as hell and is destined to get hotter next summer (oh gawd). But aren't so many of us living in excessive heat these days? and for longer periods? Here's a thought...

Summer Musings of a Distracted Artist

It is official. I am considered an Artist. Though several wonderful mentors have told me so repeatedly I have barely had time to get used to the whole idea and now it seems like it's official since I participated in my first Gallery showing last week. Even more solid proof is
that my artwork will be on public display in one place, an actual Gallery, until August 7th, 2023.

Are you artistic? If you have no interest in this subject, just skip down to "Time to Lighten Up" and read about my summer sale.

If so, is your mind full of ideas that engulf it, spin it into distracting visions on a daily basis, and make it nearly impossible for you to narrow down the best idea with which to engage?

Are artists supposed to prioritize projects to...

Celebrating My First Gallery Exhibit

Four years ago on May 11th, Nathan and I hit the road for the Southwest. We really only look back when Facebook sends us the Memories of life in Florida. Our new life here is very different and very satisfying. At least once a week we celebrate the barely explainable freedom we feel from making a major move in our senior years. The most recent benefit is the new friendships we have found by joining clubs in our area. Before leaving Florida, we just did not consider how a cross country move (and a pandemic) would strip us from in-person contact with nourishing community interaction.

For me, joining the Tucson Handweavers and Spinners Guild has been a life saver. The extremely talented resources there are well established in their artistry, and they are encouraging and motivational. They accept me as an artist which helps me see myself as an Artist.

As a result of my growing confidence in that role, this week I'm celebrating having been...

Prelude to Summer in Tucson

Hello to Friends far and wide,

Vacay - next week Nathan and I will leave Tucson for the first time since we moved here two years ago to visit an old haunt of ours -- The Vermillion Cliffs in Northern Arizona. Marble Canyon is a place there that we have been yearning to explore instead of just driving through it. My heart can feel that energy already. It still lives "up there". It's hard to explain what it feels like for a vortex to plant itself within your psyche. I'm bringing my GoPro (and maybe a few beads...) Stay tuned!

Blooms - Right now the roadside and the desert scrub is flowering in all shades of yellow on all kinds of plants which will take the rest of my life to learn the names of. Very soon, cactus flowers are going to follow suit and burst into flame with yellow, white, and red flowers. I am particularly drawn to the...

The Post With No Name

WOW. Almost two years have passed. I cannot cover the whole timeframe in this post but suffice it to say we love living in Tucson, Arizona.  In 2019, we started out in St. George, Utah, moved next door to La Verkin for the pandemic, and as soon as we got that second covid vaccine in March 2021 we hightailed it to Tucson to find an apartment. Before the lease was up, we knew Tucson would be our permanent home. If you don't follow me on Facebook then you have no way of knowing that we bought a manufactured home in a senior community last March 2022. It's quiet but very active! 

I have found my tribe of beaders and artists here. I was lucky to get some guidance on where...

Writing it Down

Author’s Note: Life has forever changed from the Pandemic of 2019. My perspective on it continues to morph as I hear about friends sickened by it, friends vaccinated because of it, and those who choose not to participate. For at least the next 3 to 5 years, I think I’ll be reflecting on life after Covid-19 and the challenges and opportunities it has brought us. Some of us will be calling it the “new normal” for a very long time. Personally, I see no point in looking back at pre-pandemic living, just to ache for its return. It's time to move on...

There will never be a better time to start recording your thoughts and experiences than right now. It is never too late. There are many forms it can take. Write letters, write short stories, write a novel, author a blog. Depending on the amount of time you have on your hands, you...