MY SWEETHEART!

I wanted to share this a couple weeks ago, however, no computer for a couple of weeks made it a challenge to keep up with my blog...so I'm sharing today....which seems apropos.

When my father died last year we planted a cherry tree in his name on the back hill, (his favorite cherry pie was the inspiration).  
After the kids moved out of the cabin and dismantled the entire back hill from fencing, years of run down gardens, eleven ducks and all that that implies... it was a mess, it just sat with piles of rubbish, pots and dead things, poles stuck out of the ground and when my mother moved out, no one ventured to the back hillside anymore...except me to water the cherry tree and say hello to my father.  

Finally, forlorn by the fact that it felt like I abandoned my father,  I asked Ray to help me relocate the cherry tree to the front of the house where I could see it daily.  THIS made all the difference in the world.  My father's tree is planted next to the brick walkway into our courtyard and his garden bench sits facing out across our yard and looks out into the forest revine.  It was a good choice.

Fast forward to now.

When Ray and I were driving home from the jewelers house where we were discussing the design of my engagement ring, this was our conversation, (more or less).

"I talked to your dad today."
"You did?"
"Yea, I sat out under the cherry tree and talked to him."
"Really? That's nice."
 "Yea, I just sat there for a while, it was sad thinking about him, but then I asked his permission to marry you.  I wanted to get his blessing."
"You did?" (tears choking my response), "You know that if my dad were alive, that is precisely what he would expect from you."
"I know, that's why I thought I should talk to him.  It made me sad, I got teary, but I knew I had to do it.   "
"What did he say?"
"He said yes."

And by this point we were both crying....

This is the man I am going to marry.  My first marriage ever, my first wedding ever, at my ripe old age of 57.

He's the one dad, it just took a lifetime to find him.   And how I wish you were here to witness this day.

One of the last things my father ever said to me was this.

"He's a really good man daughter.  I'm really happy for you.  The kids will turn around in time, just be happy, that's all I want for you.   I think you've made a good choice here."

And today, Valentines day,  I walked down to my desk and I found this.   It's a box he made to house the red brick ocean formed heart we found walking down the beach one day.  It was lying in the foamy waves with some broken up red clay surrounding it...we were amazed the water created this shape.  This is the nature of our love....hope your sweetheart is as good to you as mine is to me.

look how well this is made!  he's unbelievable!

Enjoy your world of discovery and love...xoxo juners

BACK ON TRACK!

So WEEKS without my computer!  I had no idea how much of my life revolved around the thing!

I ended  up having to get a brand new computer...a MacBook Pro of course...and because I hadn't backed up since the beginning of December, I lost some files...mostly ALL my Xmas family photos, which is sad, and all the new art shots I've taken...which truly causes some difficulty for me.  And then there are the smaller things like a game I've been playing since July, where I was not only the highest score on the planet, but I completed a super challenging set of games that I wouldn't want to do over again...but it looks like I've lost all of that...damn!!

In the meantime, getting used to the changes on a new Mac.  Considering that my old one was only three and a half years old, I am shocked by some of the differences...but again, I'll get used to this in time.  It just feels so damn good to be able to get into things I haven't been able to in weeks.

So here's the latest news.

One.
We have begun the outside, yard work, that was not only just simply needed, but is a definite need for the wedding.
 

So here's the beginning.  What you can't see is how SPECTACULAR this flagstone is.  When it's wet, or even simply close up, it's blue...seriously, it's blue like slate, periwinkle, and a little mossy green and some purple...it's amazing.  So we're taking out the small gated fence in the foreground, as that was temporary for the dogs anyway, and the patio will only go as far as it is in this photo on this side....and the whole yard will open up.  Just next to the garden fence here on the left we will be setting up a terraced level, which when we are finished will add three feet to the yard!  Then the fence going up on the right will travel all the way down to the orchard below and wrap around up to the back of the chicken coop behind the garden.  The little whimsical fence is replicating the little magical fence we have surrounding our courtyard and entry....no photo today, but I'll get one soon,  So LOADS going on with the wedding in mind.  Which by the way, if I haven't already mentioned is August 31st.

So now that brings up to the eggs.

I finally figured out just yesterday that the large taupe eggs I've been thinking came from my big spotted sussex, aptly named Spot, are really from my little girl Vida, the lonely duck!  Which makes the little brown/golden eggs really Spot's, and the two shades of blue/teal come from my two Americanas,  Ester and Lester!
So this whole time I had it completely wrong!  It was so weird to finally follow the trail to this surprising conclusion!
It began when I lifted the cover over the work area, storing benches and pots from the winter, looking for my barrel of dirt to cover the roots on a couple bare root trees and bushes I picked up, (walnut being one, how cool is that?),  anyway, I reached down and found this!  I know they don't look it here, but they are all blue!

Apparently every time I let the girls out into the garden they went under the cover and did their thing...I found 19 eggs!  This lead me to my final outcome and now everything makes sense...at least to me.
So I will not be getting another spotted sussex as I had intended, thinking I would get these super large eggs, no, I will be bringing home two Blue Cochins, to take the place of my last one that was dragged off into the forest.  And in loving memory of both Hester, (who was an Americana), and Marilyn, (the Cochin),  I will be naming them Marilyn and Norma Jean...I mean really, can you ever have too much of Marilyn?


Oh, yea, the wedding is already a daily on going thing around here.  Poor Lisa Oceandreamer, from a Whimsical Bohemian...she wanted to help!  I've got her sending me updates on design ideas and have piled three projects on her lap, (for today anyway..ha ha).  One being a canvas that will be painted with something special...something whimsical, that will be the guest signing.  Then we will hang it in our home...how sweet is that.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with, she is so clever and good at this kind of art.
Oh, yea, I've become a card carrying member of Pinterest now.  And if you're like me and have never heard of this, by all means go check it out.  It's basically inspirations boards that people collect images on and share, and repin, etc...I have three boards now, although the wedding one is getting most of my attention.

Oh, yea, here's the ring by the way...
it's way bluer than it looks in the snap...the light flashed it out...but you can get the idea.  It's on a more square band of diamonds...and the wedding band will be a thin band of diamonds...simple.

Two
Now we're caught up with everything but the art thing.
So here are the final completions of my last three paintings that were included in my recent installation on Jan. 26th.  For some reason I took this photo of Frank before I signed it, which is weird, hope it's the right one.  The other one I have listed on my website is a darker pink...where as this is more true to the painting.

Then I did a quick small piece of Lennon to put in the show...unfortunately it's the only photo I have right now, and it's not very clear....as the whole right side of this painting is a deep plum color, and you can't make that out on this at all...but you still get the idea.

Then of course my tribute to Rod the Mod....I began this piece several years ago when I finished Mick, and was attempting a threesome to include Elton as well, all with the Union Jack...so even though my tastes have changed and I would do an entirely different painting of Rod today...I still needed to include him in the show.  This one's for Linnie.  (also the photo looks faded, or bright, whatever, I'll fix it later)

And I believe we are finally caught up with the past couple of weeks.  I'll pull some things together to share with photos for the wedding ideas.  And I'm beginning work on several new paintings, one is a commissioned piece I'm supposed to be doing for Jessie James and his upcoming nuptials...how funny is that?  And a Stevie Ray Vaugh for a dear friends birthday, and a Stevie Nicks, just because.  
Oh, yea, and a seriously cool idea I have for the Divine Ms. M...Bette Midler....and of course the perfect pose of Robert Plant.

So that's what's on the horizon for me.
Oh, yea, and back to the book...FINALLY!  It's been on hold long enough, I simply must get it out there already....but this ebook stuff is not meant for an author or artist to figure out...geez!! they really make it hard on us bohemians!

Hope all is well and everyone is living their joy!!  Rock on!  xox juners

NO COMPUTER!

I am using Ray's computer...it's  weird!

Mine fell into a serious disaster when a cup of tea spilled behind it and shorted the whole damn thing out.  So it's almost two weeks and I ran into other complications with my protection plan...or what I THOUGHT was my protection  plan and coverage....so needless to say, it will be a bit longer before I have my computer...which as it turns out will be brand new!...back in my hot little hands...chomping at the bit to catch up and let you all know what has been happening with all  my work around here and  my ensuing wedding plans...ours, I meant ours..ha ha...anyway..please  bare with me and I'll be able to download some recent photos and share the scoop.

For those  of you, my personal friends that are a part of my broadcast....this was a way for me to get your attention as I don't have everyone's email address available to me..Rona in particular...and I wanted to make sure no one thought I was moving on without them.

Keep the faith, keep rockin, oh! and Linda...Rod is hanging in the exhibit!  You'll have to wait until I get things up  and running again to send the photo...mucho love to everyone, hey Kelli...xoxo juner