The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Oddly enough, earlier this morning Cheryle and I were talking about the business of art, and I was saying how happy I was to have a publisher. We talked about galleries, percentages, web sites, and the like. Well, in today's mail my monthly sales statement, and mailbox money arrived from Sun Dance, and I could not be any happier with the contents. Looks like, among sales to others, Hobby Lobby has re-ordered some of the larger prints they bought late last year. Well, that is very good news indeed. How I got so lucky is anyone's guess!

Then too, I recently had a small bump in my PayPal account from a photo sharing site I've been on for years--flickr. In the first few weeks that I owned a digital camera, son Matthew suggested I might want to join it, and as I recall, he gave me what was then called a "pro" membership. Believe you me, I was anything but a PRO! On the other hand, I learned from lots of real pros on there, and for years uploaded photos to the site for fun. Recently, they've decided to create a flickr marketplace to sell photos of some invited photographers. Count me shocked that I was included. At any rate, never did I think anything would sell, so I was mighty surprised reading the email saying a photo sold back in April

The older I get, the more I like the idea of other folks selling my photography for many reasons. That said, I do like interacting with my customers, and learning their stories. Yesterday it was killer hot, in spite of my mega fan, but folks did come out, including a young woman who purchased from me a few weeks ago and was back for more. That is always a very nice feeling. Because it was so insanely hot, when I noticed Captain Isaiah White sweating profusely, I invited him into the tent for some relief. For maybe the next two hours, in between booth visitors, I heard his story, and it is remarkable.

Raised in a family where both parents did not graduate high school, he worked crazy hard to not only stay out of trouble as a youth, but went on to go to college, eventually becoming one of only nine captains in the Orlando Police Department. We talked at length about all sorts of stuff, including his take on the policing problems around the country.(This too shall pass is part of what he had to say.) Very interesting stuff to say the least. And if you are curious, in his opinion, the blame lies with both the police departments and the public. When Bruce arrived, I asked Captain White re-tell the story I'd already heard about his wife's grandfather who worked as a mason until two weeks before he died. Oh yeah, he was 98!

So, that was Sunday. Friday I had quite a different experience--I had a facial for the first time in probably twenty years; part of that package we bid on at the Parkinson's fundraiser. The sweet young woman, Madison, was earnest in her skin care convictions. Not once did I burst her bubble, which is saying a lot for me. On the other hand, when she mentioned that massages were good for people, my reply was that I think it is an industry that has sprung up because people have disposable incomes, and are gullible. Needless to say, she was speechless.

Before heading to the facial, on my bike ride I saw something you just don't see every day...

I can't imagine what was wrong with this column, but it was clear they were repairing it, and in the photograph, I believe ready to re-install it on the other side of the porch.

Now that owl season is nearly over, we may have to focus our attention on peacocks. Their babies usually come around in July, and they are cute as a darn button. Not as cute as an owl baby, but really, what is? Human babies excluded.

Or, perhaps black racer snakes which seem to be plentiful of late.

This one was just outside the side door and probably four feet long.  Just the other day, as I was sitting out by the pool talking to Angela, one slithered over to the pool from the bushes behind me, had a drink, and then slithered off to the other side of the yard! Fortunately they are harmless to humans.

Then too, a very interesting mushroom has been growing, and I mean that literally, as it was once super tiny. The purplish stem has kept me intrigued.

Speaking of plentiful, good grief, the birds are eating us out of house and home! So many, many birds.

A woodpecker is on the side you do not see. Of late it is taking about three or four days for the feeder to empty, and we are talking five pounds of seed. :)

Used to be Baxter spent a good part of his days laying on the couch, however, since the remodel, it is a rare site for him to be up there by himself, which is why I thought he looked so darn cute the other day.

Saturday evening we went over to Cheryle and David's for a pool party with the usual gang. Lisa and Bunker are working on the puzzle that is a constant around the Beatty home.

Bunker brought along a friend who is visiting from the DC area. I took a picture of them together, but I thought this one was more fun.

In the middle of the party we made a quick airport run to pick up Dave and Michelle who were returning from a holiday in Puerto Rico. It is not often that they need help, so when they ask, we are more than happy to do so.

According to the weather forecast for the week ahead, heat is what we should expect. 97 degrees to be exact. Oy vey! Say it ain't so.

Heading into what I call "Greater Summer",

Gail

Expectations

I finally figured out what was making me so anxious about this show--there is an expectation that I'm somebody, when we all know that's not true. Let me restate that--I am somebody--a wife, mother, sister and friend--just not in the artistic sense yet. I'm trying.... In today's paper the art columnist described the gallery, "Local art hot spot, Comma..." He did not run one of my photographs, which is just as well. Secondly, they are pricing the pieces; believe you me, they are much, much higher than I would, which most likely translates into no sales. Only five more days to go! I read in a post from Matt's blog about the Obama's art choices. What really struck me was a quote that said something along these lines: The pieces have real "Wall Power"--very colorful. I'm going to think that way when choosing pieces to print from now on! Wall Power all the way baby!

I'm including a couple of kitchen shots with today's post because I'm a bit crazy for photography. When I see the light a certain way, or something is colorful, I just can't help myself. You are good to indulge me....

This is the marvelous drawer Bruce made for our pantry. The pantry is narrow, deep, and dark, making things hard to locate in the back. As you can see I have my oils, vinegars, and sauces in one neat spot. The skylight is above this, making everything sparkle.

This is our counter fruit bowl fresh from the dishwasher. Although I thought I was randomly placing the fruit in the bowl, I just liked the way it looked. That's a tea towel from Crate & Barrel underneath.

When I posted the slideshow the other day, I neglected to mention something I hope you'll find interesting. Central Florida may now have leaves that change, but it doesn't mean we don't have our own version of fall color. Remember I mentioned I took the long way home? I was driving along when all of a sudden I came upon this gorgeous scene.
I wish I used my Panasonic because I think it would have been better, but the Nikon was the closest on the seat. Anyway, as far as the eye could see, there were small yellow wildflowers blooming. What a treat for both the eyes, and the soul. As well, along the roadways there was a beautiful grass-like plant with almost golden tassels swaying in the breeze. I suspected it might be goldenrod, which after a bit of checking, confirmed my suspicions. Here is something amazing I found in Wikipedia, or at least it is to me. I've always had an extreme fascination with Thomas Edison.
Industrial use
"Inventor Thomas Edison experimented with goldenrod to produce rubber, which it contains naturally.[6] Edison created a fertilization and cultivation process to maximize the rubber content in each plant. His experiments produced a 12 foot tall plant that yielded as much as 12 percent rubber. The rubber produced through Edison's process was resilient and long lasting. The tires on the Model T given to him by his friend Henry Ford were made from goldenrod. Examples of the rubber can still be found in his laboratory, elastic and rot free after more than 50 years. However, even though Edison turned his research over to the U.S. government a year before his death, goldenrod rubber never went beyond the experimental stage." Simply amazing!

And then there are the golden rain trees blooming throughout the city. So who says we don't have fall color?

Did I mention the heat? Oh my it's been hot, all week over 90 degrees. I read in yesterday's paper that the temperature on the day of my beach trip was the hottest, October 7th since 1992. No end is in sight as of this post. Of course, I could be freezing like it is in Chicago. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, however, Jonathan mentioned snow is predicted for the weekend. Matt turned on the heat in London. Unfathomable. Yours truly will be out being a street vendor for about 17 hours--Lord help me! Actually the market hours on Sunday are extended until 6pm because of the Pride parade which runs on the street alongside the market. Sadly, last year that was one of the worst sale days, so it's not for that reason, more a logistical problem of not being able to retrieve our vehicles. Maybe this year we'll be pleasantly surprised.

News flash!! The Capital Grille passed final inspection yesterday! You knew he could do it, didn't you? Two more tough weeks until turnover which will require travel, travel, and then some. It is kinda sad that Mr. Bruce will be unable to be there with me on Tuesday night, although I know he will be in spirit. Remember, this whole gig was his idea.

All Sorts of Stuff

For those of you who know Orlando this photograph needs no explanation, for those who don't it, is Lake Eola, the centerpiece of the city of Orlando. It is here that I sell photography every Sunday. During the last few years there were upwards of ten cranes soaring above the skyline, now however, all the new buildings are complete. As you can imagine, many of them have lower than hoped for occupancies. It was the condo building boom downtown which convinced Bruce there would be enough people to buy my photography for decorating. As it has turned out most of the buildings house at least one thing from me. I envision several years passing before the occupancy catches up with the supply. Yikes, by then I'll be closing in on 60!

Let's get this out of the way first: I have two recommendations today, one for a novel, and one for a short piece from National Public Radio.

The character development in the novel is remarkable, keeping you up later than is prudent. You care deeply about Lev, the Eastern European immigrant who moves to London hoping to remake his life in a city with more opportunities. I'll go no further because the link has all the details if you are interested.
Suggested Reading

Secondly, this little story from NPR informs the listener about the 1952 election between Eisenhower and Stevenson, the first presidential campaign when television was a factor, somewhat akin to the use of the Web for this one. Illustrating the time worn phrase, "the more things change, the more things stay the same", you learn about the advent of the sound bite.
Sound Bites

An email I received last evening:

To all "Love Works" artists,
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at Love Works. We have a very nice show and the buzz around town is already very good. Please come see me when you arrive. I have a Love Works Artist button for you so people can know who to talk to.

See you then,

Terry Olson

Bruce will arrive in Orlando around six, in time to make it downtown giving me much needed moral support. The truth of the matter is that I am a newbie at this, I need loved ones at my side during this kind of thing.

Carol called yesterday from California informing me that her tickets are booked for the wedding. It sounds like I'll be needing to be more consistent with grocery shopping next month! Between the rehearsal dinner, Thanksgiving, and everything in between, my fridge will be fuller than it has been in months. Jonathan and Alissa arrive from Chicago on Friday night, with Matt arriving on Wednesday night. We'll definitely have a full house!

Speaking of Matt, we had an hour long video chat on Tuesday afternoon with much discussion of the upcoming election. We both agreed that November 2 can't come soon enough.

Remember how I mentioned Baxter being walked? Well dear friends, it was almost like a flashback to when some of my boys were young. Our neighbor Angela's son realized on Monday evening that he was to have done some sort of community service and turn in the evidence on Wednesday. He and his mom cooked up the idea that helping me with walking duties would suffice. He walked him not only in the evening, but called at 7 the next morning for another go round. I also taught him how to clean the pool with Bruce signing off on that one. I remember clearly those almost forgotten assignments.

Although I'd love to open the windows again, the weather remains quite warm hovering still in the high 80's. By now we are suffering from heat fatigue, somewhat like Northerners do in late April when winter has dragged on for what seems like forever. Will it ever end?

Summer Casualty

Remember how I've been harping on the big storms this summer? Apparently one of the many lightening strikes was close to home. My dear neighbor Regina's remaining giant oak tree was hit a week ago Sunday. Not only did she lose the forty year old tree but multiple appliances and computer problems resulted from the strike. She was out to dinner and the only sign of a problem was her dead phone when she returned. A few days later the leaves on the tree began to brown. Although she had a surge protector it wasn't enough. The sad thing is that she lost two massive oaks in the hurricanes a few years ago, and now this one. The street obviously doesn't look the same without the canopy it provided.

Last night at this time I was mowing the lawn thinking it might be cooler. Good thing it wasn't tonight as the temperature at 7:45 is still 91 degrees. For six weeks the rain was incessant--now it hasn't rained in almost a week. The plants and grass are drying up quickly in the blazing heat. After finishing last night I jumped in the pool to cool off.

The flower picture I'm posting today is from a yard I drive by with some frequency. This is my first time seeing this beautiful flower, the lovely shade of red is captivating. After knocking on the door, I told the owner I loved to photograph flowers, he consented after a moments hesitation. He called it a silk flower which he'd grown from seed; if I'm not mistaken he was kinda proud someone had noticed.

Bruce has been in town all week but that doesn't mean we've had dinner together. Tonight he's at Capital Grille with his colleagues from around the country after two days of meetings at the corporate offices. At least he hasn't had to fly or drive too far this week. Tomorrow he will be driving to "The Villages" in Lake County. It is a huge development, and I mean huge, for retirees. The "town" has been the subject of a recent book detailing life in a planned community that from what I've read is not all that flattering. Debauchery all around.

I'm struggling right now with what to donate for the children's cancer camp benefit at the end of the month. The event is one night in a downtown gallery. My photograph will be in the company of other, more established artists, giving me big doubts about what to contribute. It needs to be something arty, and at the same time, something that someone might want.

Speaking of weather, apparently Jonathan and Alissa went through some wild weather this week in Chicago. From what I heard the lightening, rain, and wind were unprecedented.

My neighbors just returned from nearly two weeks in England. When Matt and I chatted last week he mentioned the heat (no air conditioning) and how he was tired of it already. They echoed his sentiments! However, it passed after a few days and milder weather returned. Mostly when she was over here this afternoon she talked about how expensive it is. I believe I've mentioned that Matt is probably the only person you'll hear about who's saving money whilst living in London. He's unbelievable, but you knew that already didn't you?

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Listening to: Spiritualized - Sway
via FoxyTunes

Heat

This is Nicole from yesterday's market. Dana thought she was so cute and could make a poster child for some market promotional material. Her mom was flattered when I was shooting this; I hope she likes it.

Today at the little market a young woman told me she was on her honeymoon, having gotten married in Detroit on Saturday. Her obvious excitement was infectious. After congratulating her I mentioned that our 35th wedding anniversary is in less than a month. Somehow saying that reminded me that on our wedding night, after a small church wedding with a cake and punch reception, we drove the two hours to St. Augustine for our two day honeymoon. I'd just begun my job as a real x-ray tech and could only get that much time off. Anyway, arriving around 9pm and finding all of the restaurants were closed we ended up eating at McDonalds. I remember gazing at my new wedding ring under the bright fluorescent lights, asking Bruce, "Do you think anyone can tell we got married today?" I was so excited (innocent some might say) and didn't let a little thing like that ruin our wedding day! Can you imagine anyone being happy with that scenario today? I guess it was a precursor to our life together--making do with whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Never in our wildest imaginings would we have thought we'd be the parents of four boys, let alone twins, yet, here we are, all these years later, still innocent, happy, and all the Peck sons grown and on their own. We have been blessed.

Speaking of blessings, I should not have been crowing about sales as they have plummeted (slight exaggeration) as the temperature rises. Yesterday we were grateful there was no rain, in its' place was searing heat to the tune of 95 degrees. Today was 96 which was no picnic, but in reality, I'd prefer the heat with blue skies to the leaden skies of last week. We are so used to the sun that when it is gray for several days in a row it leaves me feeling a bit gray myself.

Both Matt and Jonathan attended music festivals in their respective cities, Lovebox in London, and Pitchfork in Chicago. Jonathan called as they were leaving last night however with a bad connection I didn't get the full scoop, just enough to know they had lots of fun.



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Listening to: Paul Simon - Graceland
via FoxyTunes

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Listening to: Paul Simon - Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes (iTunes Originals Version)
via FoxyTunes